An American icon has landed at Zoo Atlanta, and just in time for Independence Day, fans have a final opportunity to support the care and habitat of our national bird in its new home at the Zoo.
Zoo Atlanta is delighted to welcome a rehabilitated bald eagle to the Zoo family, giving members and guests a chance to see and appreciate an American symbol. “Since this is a rehabilitated individual who would not be able to succeed in the wild, we’re proud to be able to offer this bird the best home we can provide.”
Guests can expect to see the eagle, which is currently behind-the-scenes completing a routine quarantine period, in mid to late July.
A crowdfunding campaign, which ultimately seeks to raise $10,000, purchased the federal permit required to house the eagle; supported travel and acquisition expenses for Zoo animal care staff; purchased a pool filter and pump and rain shelter for the eagle’s habitat; purchased eagle gloves for care staff; and will provide the eagle’s food for its first year at Zoo Atlanta, as well as provide interpretive signage for the habitat, which is also funded in part by the crowdfunding project.
Bald eagles are a federally-protected species currently considered threatened in Georgia, and state law required that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources inspect and approve the Zoo’s bald eagle exhibit before the Zoo applied for a holding permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Following permitting, Zoo Atlanta worked with federal agencies to identify an appropriate bird. Bald eagles are typically brought to rehabilitation centers for injuries caused by cars, power lines and hunting. All releasable bald eagles are released back into the wild, and this individual bird was in need of a permanent home and is not a candidate for re-release.
Best known as the national bird of the United States, bald eagles are found only in North America, ranging north from Canada and Alaska through the contiguous United States and into northern Mexico. They are most often spotted near coasts, rivers and large lakes, as their diet consists primarily of fish. Juvenile bald eagles do not develop their full adult plumage – the familiar white head against a dark brown body – until they are around 5 years old. Younger eagles are more uniformly brown and are sometimes mistaken for golden eagles.
Stay tuned for updates on when Members and guests will be able to see the new arrival, and visit www.zooatlanta.org for more information. Fans interested in making an Independence Day contribution to the campaign are encouraged to visit https://www.sterlingfunder.com/ZooAtlanta.
