A male bald eagle rescued in Cape Coral is bouncing back at Sanibel’s Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW). Admitted in late December, this big raptor has been healing well, and release is just around the corner.
Volunteers found the adult eagle grounded and unable to fly. They rushed him to CROW for a full evaluation. Dr. Jennifer Comolli, CROW’s medical director, led the exam. She discovered a fractured ulna, lead poisoning, and abrasions on his feet. Dr. Comolli treated each of these issues for several weeks and is pleased with the progress.
To tackle the lead toxicity, Dr. Comolli used chelation therapy, a process that binds and removes the metal from the body. After treatment, the eagle’s blood tests show no trace of lead. His wing fracture has nearly healed. Now, the focus is on physical therapy and flight training. Dr. Comolli is optimistic he’ll be back in the wild very soon.
The broken wing worried the team most at first. Since the fracture had already formed a callus, the key strategy was to keep the wing stable and work on physical therapy, making sure the eagle would regain full range of motion. The raptor spent four weeks with a wing splint, pain management, and careful stress reduction. CROW reports the fracture is solid, with a strong callus and good alignment showing on x-rays.
If all goes well, this eagle will soar over Cape Coral again.
