On January 12, 2022, Humane Indiana Wildlife staff was contacted by a Wheatfield NIPSCO plant employee who discovered a juvenile American bald eagle on the ground, below powerlines, unable to fly.
Our staff was able to recover the eagle from the NIPSCO plant within the hour and bring it back to the Humane Indiana Rehabilitation and Education Center for an exam. The exam exposed a fractured radius and ulna, as well as an open wound in the left wing. Our team made a call to Arbor View Animal Hospital in Valparaiso, IN, for further assistance and surgery recommendations. Their staff was able to confirm our diagnosis and suggested we seek assistance from Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Illinois due to the complex nature of the required surgery.
On Friday, January 14, the eagle was transferred to Willowbrook Wildlife Center, which immediately performed surgery to repair the wing. Leaving fractures open for an extended period of time drastically reduces the success of the surgery.
Bloodwork was also performed and indicated the bird was anemic and suffering from lead toxicosis. Lead poisoning is an all-too-common condition seen in bald eagles, who may ingest lead bullets when they scavenge carcasses and lead fishing equipment while hunting fish. Thankfully, this bird’s lead level was not severely high and it was placed on therapy to cure it.
To help injured wildlife, like this eagle, and to help Humane Indiana Wildlife continue to provide lead testing and treatment for injured wildlife, please make your donation at www.HumaneIndiana.org/wildlife-donate.
Now that Spring is here, we need supplies for incoming wildlife!
- $100 provides: 11 pounds of dry formula to raise 39 Grey Squirrels, 92 Opossums, and 103 Cottontails
- $75 provides: 8 pounds of dry formula to raise 28 Grey Squirrels, 67 Opossums, and 75 Cottontails
- $50 provides: 7 pounds of dry formula to raise 25 Gray Squirrels, 58 Opossums, and 66 Cottontails
