The West Virginia Eagle Mom: Killed by a Plane

Sad News.

The other day (April 26th) the Mother Eagle was struck by a plane and killed. She was approximately 14 years old. She and her partners (her original partner had also been killed by a plane several years before) had produced 19 eaglets.

The nest is situated next to the Norfolk airport. It apparently isn't uncommon for this to happen.

The decision was made for the young eagles to be removed from the next because the Father Eagle alone would not be able to keep up with the feeds.

In the next couple months the young eagles would triple in size and it would have meant that they would have starved, or killed the weakest in the nest to eat, in order to survive.

Here is the examination of the eaglet when first brought to the Botanical Garden in West Virginia:



Here is the video of the lone Male coming back to the empty nest:



Apparently, he brought a fish to the nest for the young ones to eat - and left it there when he found no babies.

So sad.

Meanwhile, the Provincial court here in B.C. will today decide whether it is the Aboriginal Right under the Constitution to kill, possess and traffic in Eagle carcasses and parts, even though it is against the Provincial Wildlife Act.

48 mutilated Carcasses were found near Squamish and North Vancouver.

Under the present law, it is illegal, without a permit, to possess or sell any eagle parts.

The penalty for poaching is a fine up to $50K or 6 months in jail. The penalty for trafficking in eagle parts is up to $100K fine and/or 1 year in jail.

Personally, 48 dead eagles, no matter what "rights" - is excessive in this day and age.

Meanwhile, here is yesterday's video of our White Rock eagles' nest being whipped around in the wind yesterday:



And the two eagles together in the wind the day before: