The National Eagle Center in Wabasha has a new member of its educational family.
A young, male eagle arrived Dec. 1 from Washington state. The bird was found on a beach this summer malnourished and unable to fly, in Port Orchard, Wash.
"Healthwise, he is doing great. … It could be several months between arrival and meeting 300 people a day. We'll have a better idea down the road, but so far things are looking good," said Eileen Hanson, the center's director of public relations.
The eagle will require ongoing care because of a structural problem with its eye sockets. Its eyes need to be kept clear to ward off infection, and that process, said Hanson, needs time between trainer and subject, too. The eagle won't be released to the wild, she said, but will join the ranks of the center's other "ambassadors" — eagles that are part of the center's educational programs.
The bird's name? The center is soliciting names online here.
BOB TIMMONS
