E8 continues slow recovery
The eaglet strongly believed to be E8, that was seen last week on video being knocked out of the nest by an owl, has continued to slowly recover from its injuries.
The eaglet had surgery Saturday at the facilities of the Clinic for the Rehab-ilitation of Wildlife in Sanibel to fix a fractured femur, using a pin to hold the bone in place, and has been placed in strict cage rest while it continues its recovery.
In a statement, CROW said the surgery was a success, with no complications.
Andrew Pritchett, who is responsible for the Pritchett Eagle Cam, said any inquiries on the eagle’s condition would be directed to CROW.
But if the eaglet in question is E8, Pritchett said it was a huge sigh of relief.
“We’re relieved that it’s OK and it’s in the best of care possible. We trust CROW to do the best they can to release it happy and healthy,” Pritchett said.
The eaglet was missing for nearly a week before it was found Friday in critical condition near the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. CROW officials said in a statement that the eagle “arrived thin, dehydrated and very weak.”
The 3-month-old eaglet went missing on May 7 after being pushed off the tree after being attacked by an owl.
There was great conjecture on what happened to the bird after that.
According to a TV report last week, a woman said she found the eaglet across the street, and he appeared to be injured.
She said the eaglet had one leg showing, which was obviously broken and hanging by the tendons.
Florida Fish and Wildlife came out to investigate, but the bird was scared into the woods and flew away, the witness said.
At the time, Pritchett said E8 was believed to have been found in someone’s backyard, having been scared into some thick brush.
After having disappeared for a week, Pritchett said the fact it’s still alive is quite remarkable.
E8 has become a regular visitor to CROW. On Feb. 8, the eaglet had to be rescued from its nest after it got caught there, presumably in some fishing line.
The bird spent three days at the CROW facilities, where it was fed, had its injured foot treated and got over a case of dehydration before it was returned to the nest.
Being the younger and smaller sibling, E8 was routinely bullied in the nest in the quest for food from the parents.