A bald eagle is recovering nicely under the care of Pacific Wildlife Care volunteers, and hopes are that the iconic bird, born in captivity as part of a zoo’s breeding program, can be released soon.
According to PWC president, Meg Crockett, the bird was found by State Fish & Wildlife officials in the Hunter Liggett area and taken to PWC on March 22, emaciated and suffering from cuts to her legs.
She was rehabbed at the PWC Center in Morro Bay until June 10, when Bald Eagle No. 23, was taken to a 75-foot flight cage at the ranch of Art and Kelly Vandenheuvel, who has been rehabbing raptors with PWC for more than 30 years.
There, Vandenheuvel said, the bid has been steadily gaining its strength back. The ranch has a small pond with lots of fish, Kelly said, and they’ve been able to feed her a more natural diet for eagles.
The No. 23 wingtag, which is easy to spot on the bird, gives them a good idea of her history. Crockett said the bird was hatched in 2004 in the San Francisco Zoo’s captive breeding program (active from 1996-07) and was released into the wilds of Santa Cruz Island, 20 miles offshore from Oxnard, along with about a hundred others eagles. No. 23 was taken from the island as an egg and has drifted a long ways from home.
“She appeared at Fort Hunter Liggett in 2009,” Crockett said, “and had her first two chicks in 2010. She has produced two chicks every year since including this year according to the biologist who also claims another female raised this year’s chicks.”
PWC is a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitation organization and is overseen by wildlife doc, Shannon Riggs, DVM and PWC’s director of veterinary services.
Seems every year the center on the Morro Bay Power Plant property gets swamped with sick and injured wildlife, mostly birds, and sometimes hundreds of the same species. But Crockett said there hasn’t been a concentration of one species. They’ve also had at least one unusual patient.
“No abundance of pelicans, or any other seabirds so far this fall,” she said. “We did receive a black bear cub, which does happen occasionally. We are not licensed to rehab bears however, so we transferred it the next day to the Wildlife Investigations Lab in Rancho Cordova.” She added that they’ve gotten in nearly 2,300 animals this year, which is on a par for last year at this time.
PWC has a major fundraising event coming up, the Annual “Soupabration,” a foodie and wine tasting set for noon-2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Morro Bay Community Center. Dozens of local chefs will prepare their best soup recipes paired with local wines, chocolates, and PWC’s animal ambassadors. For ticket information, see: soupabration.org.
And see: www.pacificwildlifecare.org to donate to the organization and to volunteer. More eagle photos are posted at: www.tolosapress.com.
