Due to a health problemthe life of an animal was in danger. However, despite its unfavorable context, ended up moving forward. They are recovery happened thanks to willing work of a team of people committed to the cause.
And rescued wild bird that he suffered lead poisoning return to nature in USA in July, after a prolonged process of treatment y rehabilitation.
The protagonist of this case, a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), was released in the state park Chippokes (Chippokes State Park) en Virginia he July 10 under the watchful eye of more than 150 personas.
This news was confirmed by the local non-profit organization Wildlife Center of Virginiawhich healed the animal and reinserted him into his natural habitat.
«The eagle took flight quite quickly and then he was flying in circles far above us for the next few minutes,» said Wildlife Center of Virginia outreach director Connor Gillespiethrough a press release disseminated on the entity’s website.
How they found the bird: dull, weak and dehydrated
At the end of May, according to the organization, the bald eagle appeared in a house in the town of Smithfield (Virginia). Apparently the animal landed on the ground of the home and since then could not take flight again. I needed assistance, I was in disrepair.
He May 29After being rescued, the bird received shelter at the Wildlife Center of Virginia Veterinary Hospital.
«When he entered the hospital, the eagle was dull, weak and dehydrated. The veterinary team detected no traumatic injuries, but blood tests revealed extremely high levels of lead in its organization,» the entity explained through the press release on its website.
Lead poisoning in these birds – among others – usually occurs as a consequence of accidental ingestion of lead ammunition fragments lodged in the remains of hunted animals, according to an article published on the official website of the United States Geological Survey (United States Geological Survey, USGS) en 2022.
What happened during your rehabilitation
In the case of the rescued bald eagle, the veterinary hospital staff chose to fluid therapy ―a treatment based on the administration of liquids to compensate for imbalances in the body- and chelation therapy ―a treatment for heavy metal poisoning― to eliminate lead from the body.
Fortunately, although the initial prognosis was delicate, the bird emerged victorious from the situation. As time went by, he began to recover.
«Although only 5% of eagles with lead levels as high as this survivethis bird responded well to treatment. After almost a month of treatment, which included several sessions of chelation therapy and repeated blood tests, lead was eliminated of the eagle’s organism, which recovered its activity y alert status«Wildlife Center of Virginia said in the statement.
After having overcome the intoxication, the bald eagle continued with a program of flight training focused on restoring your strength and endurance. «On July 6, the veterinary team determined that the eagle had fully recovered and authorized his release (Editor’s note: it returned to nature on July 10, four days later,» the entity indicated.
