Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Rescues Bald Eagle

March 5, 2013 - PRLog -- MILLWOOD, Va.—Belinda Burwell, DVM, veterinarian and director of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center announced today that the center has been caring for a poisoned Bald Eagle that came to the center the day after Christmas.  She was found on a road near the James River and was taken to a local vet clinic where they determined she had a broken wing.  She was then transferred to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center for veterinary and rehabilitative care.  She had a band on her leg so the wildlife center was able to find out that she is almost five years old and is female. Upon her full recovery in approximately three weeks, the bird will be released close to where she was originally found.

On arrival at BRWC, a blood test showed that the eagle had a toxic level of lead in her blood.  The lead could have come from feeding on deer carcasses that had fragments of lead bullets left in them, or from consuming lead fishing weights.  Either way, she was very sick.  Even after a lengthy period of treatment, she still had significant lead in her system.  

This eagle was rescued on the day after Christmas by Henrico County Animal Control after being found on a road near the James River.  She was taken to a local vet clinic where they determined she had a broken wing.  She was then transferred to the BRWC for veterinary and rehabilitative care.  This eagle had a band on her leg so BRWC was able to determine that she is almost 5 years old, and a female.

“Lead poisoning is a serious threat to eagles, hawks and other birds,” stated Burwell.  “We suspect that it’s more than a coincidence that so many of the hawks and eagles that come in injured have lead in their blood, and they come in more frequently during deer hunting season.”  Burwell continued, “When they’re exposed to lead, it damages their nervous systems and affects their coordination and possibly their reaction time.  This makes them prone to accidents and injury.”

The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is the only wildlife rescue and full-service hospital serving a region from Northern Virginia to the Northern Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont.  Situated on 980 spectacular acres along the Shenandoah River, the center provides a protective area for wildlife to recover and rehab.  In addition to facilities for all types of birds, mammals and reptiles, the center has a large flying cage for raptors which has been useful in the rehabilitation of a wide variety of birds of prey.  The cage has a circular flyway, so the birds can fly continuously and fully exercise their wings—particularly important in the rehab of the eagle.

Dr. Burwell oversees the center and its patients.  She has more than 25 years of experience as a pet and wildlife vet, and received her training at the National Zoo, the Tufts Wildlife Center, the Franklin Park Zoo, and the New England Aquarium.  She has advanced training in emergency stabilization and critical care.  “Our goal is to care for and rehabilitate injured wildlife so they can return to their original habitat,” Burwell explained.  Within the past month, many hawks, owls and other animals have been released to their original habitats.

For more information on the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, visit www.blueridgewildlife.org.

About Blue Ridge Wildlife Center. The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is a non-profit, 501(c)3 charitable organization for wildlife conservation and rehabilitation located in Clarke County, Virginia.  The center assists the native wildlife of Northern Virginia and Northeastern West Virginia and does not charge for services.  Because the organization does not receive any local, state or federal funding, it is completely dependent on private donations.  For more information, please visit www.blueridgewildlife.org.

Editor’s Note:  The eagle can also be seen in its rehab program at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Millwood, Virginia (approximately 75 minutes west of Washington, D.C.)   For more information, or to see the eagle prior to its release and/or follow its release, please contact Vicki Bendure at 202-374-9259.