Rescued bald eaglet dies after being attacked by coyotes at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care
A bald eaglet under the care of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care died after being attacked by a pack of coyotes that breached the facility.
By Daniel Macht
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LAKE TAHOE, California (KCRA) — A bald eaglet under the care of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care died after being attacked by a pack of coyotes that breached the facility.
The Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care confirmed the “tragic incident” in a statement to KCRA 3 on Tuesday and said it has taken action to improve the security of its facility.
“It is with great sadness that we report an incident involving our eaglet, who tragically became the victim of a predation breach in his enclosure by a pack of coyotes,” the facility said.
KCRA 3 previously covered the eaglet’s rescue after it fell from its nest at Lake Natoma in April. The eaglet was brought to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and was paired up with a surrogate parent.
The facility previously said it planned to release the bird back in a few months. But Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care said that release was delayed to first let it develop its hunting skills during the Kokanee salmon run in Lake Tahoe. The attack happened on Aug. 7.
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care said despite their perimeter fence being reinforced with rebar buried three feet underground, the coyotes squeezed through a narrow gap between the rebar.
The eaglet’s enclosure had high perches but in this case, it stood its ground instead.
“The eaglet, like many birds of prey, exhibited natural territorial behaviors vital for survival. In his enclosure, he demonstrated strong flying abilities but instinctively defended his space and stood his ground, as any wild animal would when feeling threatened,” Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care said. “While these instincts are critical for survival in their natural habitat, they can present unique challenges when caring for them in a controlled environment. Wildlife behavior is complex and can be difficult to manage, even in the most secure enclosures.”
The group said wildlife’s unpredictability is a challenge in caring for wild animals and “no amount of security can fully account for the drive of wildlife to explore and protect new territory when they feel the need.”
Still, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care cited new security features. Among the changes:
Rebar spaced every two inches underground A reinforced dig barrier extending eight to 10 inches from the ground and three to four feet out. The installation of sheet metal on trees within five feet of a fence.
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