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Bald eagle at Fontenelle Forest continues recovery

Was it struck by lightning?
Posted at 3:15 PM, Jun 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-26 17:23:44-04

Three days ago, Fontenelle Forest posted this picture of a bald eagle with severe head trauma in search of answers about what happened to it. 

Officials in Fontenelle's Raptor Recovery program had never seen anything like it, and neither had other Raptor Recovery programs across the country. 

Betsy Finch, the program's executive director, said there was no foul play involved in the eagle's trauma and they will not pursue a federal investigation. In the United States, it is illegal to pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb an eagle. 

Finch also said they have ruled it was not a fungus that caused the head trauma and they are still not sure what is wrong. 

Currently, they are providing ointment once a week and waiting for the eagle to recover naturally. The eagle is receiving limited handling. Initially, when it came in the bird was emaciated and depressed, but Finch says it's eating well and seems in better spirits.