|
The
American Eagle Foundation staff (headquartered at Dollywood in Pigeon
Forge, Tennessee) banded a bald eaglet (on Wednesday, June 25, 2003)
that was placed into an artificial nesting tower located on
Douglas Lake in East Tennessee. The activities of the young bird
and its parents had been closely watched by thousands of people from around
the world for the past six-weeks via an Internet video camera. Over
80,000 elementary schools were invited to watch and learn. A national
"Name An American Eaglet" Contest is being held to name the
eaglet. The eaglet is scheduled for release into the wild in late July
2003.
Full text of
Press Release:
PIGEON FORGE, TENN., June
25, 2003
A six-week-old
non-releasable bald eaglet hatched in a nest located at Dollywood's "Eagle Mountain
Sanctuary" aviary has been taken to an artificial nesting tower
over-looking a secluded cove on Douglas Lake in East Tennessee.
The bird was banded by wildlife
officials (Pete Wyatt of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and American
Eagle Foundation staff) today and will be released in late July.
A national "Name An American
Eaglet" Contest is being held to name the bird, and the winner will
be announced on July 4th (WWW.EAGLES.ORG).
The bald eaglet is being cared for with minimum human contact by staff
members of the non-profit American Eagle Foundation, headquartered at
Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In late July, after spending about
six weeks in the nesting tower, the bird will be released into the wild
and tracked with a radio transmitter to help monitor its progress. It
received a physical check-up by University of Tennessee veterinarians
Mike Jones and Kimba Marshall last week.
The eaglet was sired by non-releasable parent eagles "Liberty"
and "Justice". The pair has produced young for the past eleven
years. The hatching and rearing of the youngster was viewed by thousands
of people and students from a "live" video camera over the
Internet at the Foundation's WWW.EAGLES.ORG and WWW.NESTINGEAGLES.COM
websites.
"Through the miracle of Internet and video technology, thousands
of folks from around the world have been able watch this majestic eaglet
hatch and grow over the past six weeks", said American Eagle Foundation
president Al Cecere. "It's been amazing to witness the dedication
of the parents tending to their baby"
Supporting members of the non-profit organization are being offered a
chance to participate in a "Name An American Eaglet" Contest.
On July 4, 2003, one lucky "member" will be awarded the regal
right to name the young bird hatched by Liberty and Justice, plus the
rare privilege of being on hand to witness its release into nature. The
winner of this special honor will be selected through a random drawing.
Anyone becoming a member on-line by July 1, 2003 will be eligible to
enter.
Last year's winner was Our Lady of Lourdes School from Long Island. They
named their eaglet "Ground Zero," and a few of the students
and teachers attended the release last summer. The Foundation's breeding
eagles can also be annually adopted on-line, which makes a great gift
for anyone, especially for birthdays, and those serving in the Armed
Forces.
"More than 80,000 schools
from across the United States were invited by the Foundation to watch
this fascinating nest-watch adventure and enjoy the special learning benefits
it provides", said Cecere. "It has given them a heart-warming
perspective of our National Bird."
The parent eagles are housed
at the American Eagle Foundation's education, breeding and rehabilitation
center based at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The birds live in
captivity and can no longer survive on their own because of permanent
physical disabilities caused by gunshot injuries to the eye, foot and
wing. However, the young that they hatch and rear are released into the
wild to assist eagle repopulation efforts in the Southeastern United States.
The Foundation is widely recognized
as a national leader in Bald Eagle conservation, recovery and public education.
Established in 1985, it is dedicated to the care and protection of the
Bald Eagle and its habitat. The Foundation has educated millions of people,
hatched and released dozens of eaglets into the wild, and rehabilitated
numerous injured eagles and other birds of prey.
"For the benefit of future
generations, we must all do our part to keep America's eagles flying strong
and free into the twenty-first century and beyond," said Cecere.
MEDIA ALERT/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY:
Local media invited to view eaglet being banded at Douglas Lake hack tower
on Wednesday morning, June 25, 2003. Contact American Eagle Foundation
president Al Cecere to coordinate.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Al Louis Cecere, President, American Eagle Foundation
eagles1@usit.net and WWW.EAGLES.ORG
Photos & Video
footage are available of the Liberty and Justice eaglet
upon request.
|
