Golden Eagle 20-001 Update
It took a few days for the eagle to develop an appetite and a couple more days for her to figure out how to stand with her splinted leg, but she’s got it figured out now! She has completed her second course of chelation. The first course dropped her lead from 54.4 mcg/dl to 27.6 mcg/dl. we will retest the lead on Monday.
The Week in Review
It was a very sad week with just two admissions. The first was an American Kestrel with a fractured humerus. Her elbow and shoulder were also dislocated. The damage was not repairable and she was euthanized. The second bird was an immature Bald Eagle. He had been shot and was also suffering from ingested lead poisoning.
Bald Eagle 20-004
The eagle’s right wrist was completely shattered. There were also lead fragments in his stomach. We may have been able to successfully treat the lead poisoning, but the wing was not salvageable and the eagle was euthanized.
The majority of eagles admitted for care test positive for lead. A lead level of 2.5 mcg/dl (an amount lower than our lead machine can detect) has been shown to cause increased mortality in golden eagles. Please help spread the word that lead is just as harmful to humans as it is to wildlife. For more information on Hunting Lead Free visit www.huntingwithnonlead.org
It is illegal to shoot an eagle, or any bird protected by the Migratory Bird Act. If you witness illegal activity, please report it to your local law enforcement agency.
