Philippine eagle's blue face.

TLDR: Filipinos are fucking dumb. These are about to go extinct. I hope for your attention.

This is such a very magnificent bird. But the Philippines doesn't know that.

I mean, I grew up just being told about it and learning that it's a 'great bird' from elementary school, and almost immediately forgotten about it.

Until recently, about last year. A photo surfaced on social media showing how ACTUALLY BIG AND MAGNIFICENT AND BEAUTIFUL this creature is, next to an average person. I MEAN IT'S HUGE AND WONDERFUL AND JUST SO MAJESTIC.

That's only the time I understood why it was dubbed here as the 'Haribon,' a conjugation of 'hari' ('king') and 'ibon' ('bird'). Because upon seeing that picture, it made me want to start a religious cult in the name of this bird.

But sadly, it has always been critically endangered. More disappointing, in the only place in the whole world it has chosen as its home.

Just about weeks after seeing that photo I said, news then started coming up about a few of these remaining wonders being shot down from the sky by poachers. It's disappointing. It makes me lose hope on humanity.

I guess I'm just ranting about this because, you see, Filipinos love when something theirs get noticed by others overseas, even especially the things we'd take for granted. It's a cultural disease here. So I wish this catches the attention of some.

I'm still hoping, I guess.

/r/pics Thread Link - i.redd.it