[TN-Bird] Eagle Foster Parenting at American Eagle Foundation, Pigeon Forge

You may be interested in the following news release concerning the current 
foster parenting of a Columbus (Ohio) Zoo bald eaglet at the American Eagle 
Foundation (AEF) in Pigeon Forge, TN.  A live nest cam can also be viewed 
during daylight hours for roughly 10 more days at the AEF web site, 
www.eagles.org. 
Bob Hatcher
Brentwood, TN

********************************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2005

 

COLUMBUS ZOO EAGLET FINDS FOSTER PARENTS AT 

AMERICAN EAGLE FOUNDATION IN TENNESEE

 

            PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.- A four-week-old bald eaglet that hatched at 
the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo and Aquarium has been placed under the foster care of 
un-related eagle parents that reside at the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) 
birds of prey center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

 

         The youngster, produced by the zoo's bald eagle pair "George" and 
"Barbara", arrived in the Volunteer State on May 18th, right after an 
accidental leg injury left its natural father unable to help raise it. Two 
eagle parents were still needed to diligently feed and brood the baby bird.  

 

          "Liberty" and "Justice," an experienced non-releasable bald eagle 
breeding pair living in the AEF's "Eagle Mountain Sanctuary" exhibit, located 
on the Dollywood family adventure park, are now nurturing and rearing the 
eaglet. The pair was selected to provide special foster care to the chick after 
their own three eggs proved to be infertile. 



"As soon as the eaglet was placed in its new nest, these great foster parents 
lost no time treating it like one of their very own", said Al Cecere, founder 
and president of the AEF. "It's a wonderful sight to see".

 

         Over the next two weeks, the eaglet and its new foster parents may be 
viewed on an Internet video cam, as they lovingly interact as a family unit, by 
visiting the AEF's www.eagles.org website (and clicking the Eagle Cam button).

 

          The AEF had already been scheduled to release the bird in July (at 12 
or 13 weeks of age) from the organization's hacking facility on Douglas Lake in 
the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. However, after "George" received 
the injury, he had to be temporarily removed from the Columbus Zoo's eagle 
aviary for vet treatment. Zoo officials then deemed it necessary to move the 
eaglet to Tennessee earlier than planned to ensure the best possible care by 
qualified parents. 

    

          "Liberty" and "Justice" have previously proven themselves to be good 
parents by successfully hatching and rearing 13 young since 1993.  After the 
pair's own three eggs did not hatch in May during the usual 35-day incubation 
period, AEF officials removed the eggs and replaced them with an empty broken 
egg shell and the 30-day old eaglet.

 

            This is not the first time that the AEF and Columbus Zoo have 
joined forces.  In a few weeks, the new eaglet will join a number of bald 
eaglets from the Columbus Zoo that have been previously released into the wild 
from the AEF hacking facilities in the Great Smoky Mountains area.  

 

          The AEF's work with the new eaglet will culminate once the bird 
reaches full size at 12-13 weeks of age and is released into the wild to fly 
for the first time.  After bald eagles reach sexual maturity at 4-5 years of 
age, they tend to return to nest within the general region of their first 
flight.  

 

         Both male and female parent eagles take turns sitting on eggs, hunting 
for food, and guarding the nest, as well as feeding and brooding their young.

 

                The AEF located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., is dedicated to the 
recovery and protection of bald eagles and their habitat. Since 1985, the AEF 
has contributed to releasing a majority of the 294 bald eaglets from seven 
Tennessee hacking sites in cooperation with the TWRA and U.S. Fish & Wildlife 
Service. Since 1992, the organization has released 80 captive-hatched eaglets 
into the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains area on Douglas Lake. It 
operates the largest bald eagle captive breeding program in the world.

 

          The AEF provides daily, year-round care to more than 70 

non-releasable North American birds of prey, including 35 bald and golden 
eagles, and has conducted/supported various public education and eagle projects 
in a number of States.

 

-americaneaglefoundation2005-

For more information contact Al Cecere, AEF President & CEO, at 865-429-0157 
(office), 865-256-0372 (mobile), savetheeagle@xxxxxxx (e-mail) or Pete Owens, 
Dollywood Public Relations Manager, at 865-428-9486 (office), 
powens@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (e-mail) or Jeff Glorioso, Columbus Zoo Marketing 
Director, at 614-645-3490 (office), Jeff.Glorioso@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (e-mail). 


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