ICYMI: Injured Eagle on the Mend at Busch Gardens

TAMPA, FL — An injured eagle that blocked Wednesday morning traffic along Clearwater’s Countryside Boulevard is on the road to recovery. Busch Gardens of Tampa Bay stepped in to help the wounded bird.

The eagle in question created a bit of a traffic jam Wednesday morning when Clearwater Police and members of Clearwater Fire & Rescue were called about a bird in the road near Westfield Countryside Mall.

“It appeared the eagle had been struck by a car while trying to feed on or grab a dead animal in the road,” the police department wrote in an email to media.

Hoping to help it avoid further injury, police and firefighters made the decision to block off two lanes of northbound Countryside Boulevard.

“The eagle then hopped off the side of the road, where it was later captured by a wildlife rescue specialist with help from police officers and firefighters,” the email said.

The eagle was initially taken to Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife for treatment of an injury to its right wing. It was later transferred to Busch Gardens where the park’s Animal Care Center veterinarians dove into help. Vets at Busch Gardens performed surgery to repair the bird’s broken wing, said Karen Varga-Sinka. The bird is currently recovering nicely, she added.

“The eagle will stay under close watch of the park’s animal care staff before it’s moved to a rehabilitation facility,” Varga-Sinka said.

It’s not uncommon for Busch Gardens’ veterinary staff to step in to help wounded wildlife, Varga-Sinka said. The park handles about 400 wildlife rescue cases a year. Those cases include helping animals that are ill, injured and orphaned, she said.

Every case has one goal: returning them to the wild, Varga-Sinka added. It is unclear how soon, if at all, the eagle might be able to return to the wild.

In the meantime, Clearwater Police are happy with the positive turn of events.

“She looked much better here than she did stranded in the middle of Countryside Boulevard,” police noted on their Facebook page after Busch Gardens staff sent them a picture of the bird decked out in a red, white and blue sling after her surgery.

Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay