It was a holiday to remember as Busch Gardens Tampa rescued a southern American Bald Eagle on the Fourth of July. The park’s veterinary staff performed surgery yesterday morning on the bald eagle at the park’s state-of-the-art Animal Care Center after the eagle was found on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, unable to fly.
Military police, along with a local animal rehabilitator, assisted Busch Gardens in the rescue. Upon arrival at the park, Busch Gardens’ veterinary staff assessed the bird and discovered a wing injury due to broken metacarpal bones. The team wrapped the break in red, white and blue bandage tape (in honour of the celebration of Independence) to support it until surgery was performed. Bald eagles are protected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bald eagle, whose gender is unknown, will stay under the close watch of Busch Gardens’ animal care staff for the next four-six weeks and then be moved to a rehabilitation facility.
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