The first of the eagles came to us on March 16. The bird–a juvenile Bald Eagle–had sustained a gunshot wound to the left wing, the tail feathers plucked, and had been left grounded for an unknown amount of time before an anonymous person discovered the bird and delivered it to the Navajo Nation Zoological Park.

The first Bald Eagle to arrive in care. Image by Larry Rimer

Immense efforts were undertaken to save the eagle’s life. Hawks Aloft volunteers Larry and Kim Rimer drove to Window Rock to pick up the eagle, transporting it to Gail Garber’s house in Albuquerque, then to Santa Fe, where Ty Horak and Nirankar Ambriz transported the eagle the last leg–to Cottonwood Rehab in Espanola and the care of Doctor Kathleen Ramsay. Though triage and surgery were quickly underway, existing infection from the birds injuries and hours on the ground eventually took this Bald Eagle’s life.

The second eagle in recovery

Just a few days later, on March 21, another eagle arrived with a similar story to tell. The bird had been shot and its tail feathers removed. Arlette Miller, our Raptor Rescue Dispatcher, took the call from the Navajo National Zoo and immediately set out from Albuquerque to Window Rock, then bringing the bird, again, to Doctor Ramsay for an emergency surgery.

It was determined over the course of this eagle’s lengthy recovery time that, although it could live happily in captivity, permanent injuries mean it will not be returned to the wild. This adult male Golden Eagle will live out the remainder of his life at the Navajo Nation Eagle Sanctuary, educating visitors with his story.

On March 30, yet another Golden Eagle was found in the same state as the first two.

A second Golden Eagle arrives with tail feathers removed

Discovered by a Navajo Agricultural Products Industry employee, this female Golden Eagle was quickly delivered to the Navajo Nation Zoo where emergency triage was performed. Chad Smith soon thereafter brought the bird to Albuquerque where Dr. Kariana Atkinson of Petroglyph Animal Hospital performed further triage and took X-rays.

At first hopeful that this bird might be re-released post-surgery, Dr. Atkinson’s team performed surgery to repair the bird’s humerus bone. Over the course of recovery, however, it became apparent that this bird, too, must remain in captivity for the rest of her life under expert care at the Navajo National Eagle Sanctuary.

Though under continued investigation by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Navajo Department of Game and Fish, the perpetrators have not yet been apprehended.

In late July representatives from Hawks Aloft attended a press conference at the Navajo Nation Zoo in Window Rock to receive news of the birds. Gail Garber, below, reports on the conference.

At the Navajo Nation Eagle Sanctuary. Image by Larry Rimer