July 13, 2000
Columbus Ohio Zoo Bald
Eaglet, "Compassion", Gains Freedom In Smoky Mountain Foothills
PIGEON FORGE, TN -
A twelve-week old bald eaglet hatched at the Columbus Zoo by
non-releasable eagle parents "Barbara" and "George" was released
into the wilds of the Great Smoky Mountains area on Tuesday morning,
July 11th, by the non-profit American Eagle Foundation headquarted
at the Dollywood entertainment park in Pigeon Forge,TN. The eaglet
was named "Compassion" by the Foundation.
"It's a wonderful experience
to see a young and majestic eagle gain its freedom for the very first
time", said Al Cecere, president of the American Eagle Foundaton,
"However, the eaglet will now face a tough test in learning how to
survive in a world loaded with dangers. Guns, traps, powerlines,
poisons and contaminents are just a few of the hurdles it may soon
encounter and have to overcome. Over the next few weeks, the bird
will also be refining its flying and hunting skills. Probably less
than 50% make it during the first year after fledging the nest. After
that, their chances of survival may increase to about 80%. We hope
that this eaglet will return to Tennessee with a mate when it is
sexually mature, in four years or so, to set up housekeeping and
raise many young. We certainly pray God's prosperity and protection
over it."
The eaglet was placed into
a hack tower (artificial nesting tower) located on Douglas Lake in
Dandridge, TN on May 19, 2000. Since that time, it has been monitored
and cared for with minimum human contact by American Eagle Foundation
staff. It's development has been viewed daily through a one-way glass
window and it has been fed a diet of trout through a sliding drawer
tray. A colored, numbered marker was affixed to the wing patagial
and a radio transmitter was attached to its middle tail feather to
help keep track of its whereabouts and well-being. The Foundaton plans
to release three more eaglets during the month of August.
"Our organization conducts
the bald eagle release project on Douglas Lake to help establish a
nesting population in the Great Smoky Mountains area", said Cecere,
"The Bald eagle is presently still a "threatened" species in the lower
48 states, and may soon be removed from the protection of the Endangered
Species Act by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. With less protection
for their nesting and foraging habitat on the horizon, the living
symbol of the U.S.A. will still face many difficult challenges while
its population continues to recover. Human invasion and destruction
of habitat will be the eagles' number one threat. Protecting biologically
diverse eco-systems for nesting and foraging. will be the key to its
future survival".
The eaglet release was
video taped for an upcoming segment of Jim Fowler's Life In
The Wild, a new nationally syndicated TV show. Wildlife expert
Fowler appears periodically on the NBC today show and the Tonight
Show with live animals to educate the public about the importance
of wildlife and natural resource preservation.
The
eaglet was recently spotted in a tree on Douglas Lake cautiously contemplating
its next move.
Future information and
updates about the progress of the eaglet will be make available on
the Foundation's "www.eagles.org" website.
The
American Eagle Foundation (formerly National Foundation to Protect
America's Eagles) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the
care, recovery and protection of the bald eagle and its habitat.
It was founded in 1985. As part of its educational outreach to
the public, it operates the "Eagle Mountain
Sanctuary" bald eagle aviary on the Dollywood entertainment park,
which is the largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles in
the world. All eagles in the exhibit are permanently disabled and
can no longer survive in the wild. The Foundation also presents a
"Wings Of America" birds of prey educational show on the park featuring
trained non-releasable eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, vultures and
condors.
The
Foundation's eagle release project on Douglas Lake is a cooperative
effort involving the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife
Service, the Dollywood entertainment park, a private land owner and
a number of zoos (Columbus Zoo & Salisbury Maryland Zoo during year
2000).
The
public is encouraged to support the work of the American Eagle
Foundation, including the eaglet release project on Douglas Lake.
Donations may be mailed to: American Eagle Foundation, P.O. Box
333, Pigeon Forge, TN 37868, or given by credit card through the
Foundation's "www.eagles.org" website.
###
For
more information contact: Al Cecere, President of American Eagle
Foundation.
Both
photographs in this article were taken by Al Louis Cecere — American
Eagle Foundation.
