The first weekend of September was a milestone for Ohio Wildlife Center as it released two recovered Bald Eagles at two sites south of Columbus. Both eagles were treated at the Wildlife Hospital and completed their recovery at the Center’s Pre-Release Facility.
After two months of care and rehabilitation at Ohio Wildlife Center, a Bald Eagle that was rescued in July in Coshocton was released at Coshocton Lake Park on Friday, September 6, 2019.
Resident Shane Pyle, a Category 1 permitted rehabber from Coshocton, brought the eagle to Ohio Wildlife Center’s free Wildlife Hospital on July 23, 2019 reporting he found it standing by a highway, where it did not fly away when approached.
The eagle was assessed by lead veterinarian Dr. Melinda Marksz and follow-up care provided was primarily supportive care. DNA testing indicated it was a male, with the plumage indicating its age was younger than two-years-old.
On intake, the young male eagle was bright and alert. An exam by the hospital staff noted that the bird was slightly thin and dehydrated, but with no obvious injuries. Bloodwork revealed that the bird was mildly anemic. After a week at the hospital for supportive care, the eagle was transferred to the Center’s Pre-Release Facility to begin its rehabilitation in flight skills and catching prey.
On Saturday, September 7, 2019, a Bald Eagle that was rescued in Pickaway County was released back to the wild at Marsha Gunder Schneider Preserve after three months of care.
Concerned citizens had contacted the Ohio Wildlife Center’s InfoLine on July 5, 2019 reporting they had sighted a large raptor walking in their yard that did not seem able to fly. Rescue volunteers Dave Wood and Kelly Mehring from the Center traveled to the location where the bald eagle was stranded and transported it to the free Wildlife Hospital in Columbus.
Staff veterinarian Dr. Melinda Marksz examined the male eagle upon admission and did not find any injuries, but was concerned that the bird was weak and dehydrated. Blood tests, including lead testing, revealed mild anemia and a positive test for exposure to West Nile Virus. The eagle received IV fluids and supportive care during its hospital stay. After two weeks at the hospital, the eagle made significant improvement and was transferred to the Center’s Pre-Release Facility to continue its rehabilitation and regain strength.
“What is interesting about these two cases is that there wasn’t an actual injury; they were just ill and lethargic and skinny,” said Casey Phillips, director of the Wildlife Hospital. “At the hospital we had to get strength back and let them take it from there,” she noted. “If you are a predator and you start to feel poorly you can’t hunt, you start to lose body mass and you get worse. We give them some place to recover.”
According to Phillips, eagles are typically released near their rescue site so that they can return to familiar terrain where they have hunted and nested.
Ohio Wildlife Center’s Wildlife Hospital has treated three eagles in 2019 compared with five Bald Eagles treated in 2018. Bald Eagles in Ohio have increased from a low of four breeding pairs in 1979 to more than 200 in 2017, a result of conservation efforts throughout the United States to bring the species back from near extinction.
“Releasing a Bald Eagle, the symbol of the United States, is always a fulfilling moment for everyone at Ohio Wildlife Center who worked toward its successful recovery and release,” said Dusty Lombardi, executive director of the center. “Our free community Wildlife Hospital provided the emergency care these raptors needed, and our goal from the beginning was to see these eagles fly to freedom.”