The internet is cheering for a team of state officials who saved a wounded bald eagle in New Hartford, Connecticut. Officials from New Hartford police and Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection received calls regarding the national symbol, which had become injured.
Troopers and Constables rushed to the scene and found the bird on the ground next to a tree, showing clear signs of damage to its wing. Connecticut State Police released a social media post showing pictures of the rescue and detailing the fate of the bald eagle now that it has been saved:
“On 3/25/23 at approximately 12:30pm, the New Hartford Police and CT DEEP emergency dispatch received several calls reporting an injured bald eagle on Steele Rd by Browns Corner Park in the town of New Hartford. Constables and Troopers were dispatched to the area to aid in locating the bird. The eagle was located in an adjacent tree with obvious injuries to its wings. ENCON police were requested to respond with speciality equipment to safely handle the bird. Once on scene, ENCON police was able to capture the bird. After a quick photo shoot, the eagle was taken by ENCON police to be treated for its injuries and rehabilitated.”
The Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police also released a similar post detailing the operation. This post showed images of the bird lodged amongst tree branches as it could not escape. The post also says that the bird will make a recovery:
“Yesterday our Officers were dispatched to a location in the town of New Hartford on the report of an injured bald eagle
. Prior to their arrival the eagle had been spooked and retreated into a nearby tree and got hung up about 25’ up. Conservation Officers created a plan and executed it flawlessly. One Officer was able to use a water rescue throw bag to hit a nearby branch subsequently shaking the bird loose which then glided down to the ground about 200’ away where another Conservation Officer was able to safely capture it. After a couple of quick photos (which did not create any injury to the bird or prolong transport) the bird was brought to a rehabilitation center for treatment. Thank you for the assistance of the New Hartford Police dept and CT State Police as well! Happy ending!”
The National Park Service boasts the bald eagle as a tremendous success in conservation, as the species has made a solid recovery from its endangered status in the 1900s. In 1978, the bald eagle became a protected bird under the Endangered Species Act, and its population has soared since. In 2007, the bald eagle was quietly removed from the Endangered Species list, although it is still protected by federal law. Seeing as baldies are the bird used to symbolize the United States, the population’s recovery is nothing short of a massive victory for the national pride of the country. The bird’s population has rebounded so much that they can be seen nationwide, breeding and fishing.
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