(North Liberty, IN) - A bald eagle was discovered on the verge of death at Potato Creek State Park earlier this week.

 

On Monday afternoon a bird-watcher found the sick eagle. Animal rescuers transported it to Humane Indiana Wildlife Sanctuary in Valparaiso, where they found the young male eagle to have a lethal amount of lead in its system.

 

The sanctuary detailed their efforts in a Facebook post. “Our team provided stabilizing care, administering fluids, a critical care food alternative, and began chelation therapy,” they said. “With lead levels as high as they were, and with as poor of body condition as he was in, we were not terribly surprised to find that he had sadly passed away overnight.”

 

According to Humane Indiana, a lead fragment the size of a grain of rice is lethal to a mature bald eagle. They say the incident is a good reminder for hunters and fishermen to choose their ammunition and tackle carefully. “Because these exposures are accidental, such as when a fish breaks the line or when a gut pile is left behind,” they said, “the best way to decrease the risk of lead exposure is to transition to non-lead ammunition and tackle.

 

To support the work of Humane Indiana Wildlife, you can make a donation at www.humaneindiana.org/wildlife-donate.