A longtime wildlife rescuer says she has seen nearly everything, but this was a first.
“I’ve never picked up an eagle that’s been shot,” said Kelly Chartier, a volunteer with Wild ARC.
The call came after Heather Rowe was out walking her dog, Ranger, when she noticed something unusual in a tree on her property.
“I went over to see what it was, and it was an eagle up in the tree,” Rowe said.
An eagle should take off when approached. This one didn’t. Rowe immediately knew something was wrong and contacted Wild ARC.
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Chartier responded right away. When the bird moved and dropped instead of flying, she knew the situation was serious.
“Instead of flying away like most birds would do, he went down,” Chartier said.
The bald eagle was badly injured. The women managed to get him into a kennel and transport him to Wild ARC, where the extent of his injuries quickly became clear.
“He did have a fractured wing,” Chartier said. “He was sent for X-rays, and that’s where they found three pellets in his body.”
The eagle had been shot repeatedly. Once in the ankle, once in the body cavity, and once in the wing.
Chartier says it’s difficult to comprehend who would open fire on a protected species.
“The first scenario I think of is someone with unsecured livestock,” she said.
But if someone was protecting their chickens, they went about it the wrong way.
There is no legal justification for shooting a bald eagle. Hunting a protected species is punishable by law.
Other possibilities are even more disturbing.
“Maybe they’re trophy hunting,” Chartier said. “Or maybe somebody being a terrible person and using it as target practice.”
Despite efforts to save him, the eagle’s injuries were too severe. He was euthanized.
This kind of violence toward eagles, rescuers say, isn’t an isolated incident.
A juvenile bald eagle is currently in care at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington after being found near Duncan with a pellet wound to the wing. His prognosis is more hopeful.
“We have the wing stabilized and the fracture is hopefully well on its way to healing,” said Tessa Jackson, lead animal care technician at the centre. “He’s receiving good nutrition now, so we’re hoping those bones will heal and he’ll make a full recovery.”
The centre is also caring for a raven found with three pellets lodged around its body.
Rescuers are urging the public to report any harm to wildlife immediately. In this case, Rowe’s quick action helped prevent further suffering.
And while bald eagles are a common sight on Vancouver Island, seeing one up close left a lasting impression.
“It looked at me,” Rowe said. “I’ll never forget how beautiful it was.”
Heartbreaking, and unforgettable.