GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It was a long road to recovery for the two Bald Eagles released Thursday, after being treated at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary since the summer.
So far in 2018, the sanctuary has rehabilitated over 5,900 wildlife animals– the highest number they’re ever seen.
“These are eagles that have been with us for the last few months and both had wing injuries and brought in by the public,” said Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary curator Lori Bankson.
“We take in these animals, evaluate them, give them the treatment they need, and work with our local veterinarians to get them to this release date.”
Treating Bald Eagles is especially important, given they’re considered a protected species.
Bankson tells FOX 11 they were removed from the federal endangered species list back in August of 2007.
“Thanks to the public working together, we were able to bring those populations back. We are actually at levels we have never seen before for the number of occupied nests in Wisconsin.”
In 2017 there were 1,590 occupied Bald Eagles Nests throughout the state, with more than 100 in Northeast Wisconsin.
Making sure these majestic birds stick around is why the sanctuary opened their eagle release to the public, hoping it will encourage people to be good stewards of the wildlife around them.
“Green Bay is actually a hot spot for Bald Eagles, coming in and fishing on the bay and just making wildlife better a lot more,” Bankson said.
The Bald Eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services estimates there are about 70,000 bald eagles in the country.
