CLERMONT, Ky. —Sad update: A bald eagle that was found with serious injuries at Bernheim Forest has died, officials confirmed.
Volunteer, Eric Nally, spotted her lying in a creek bed towards the end of December. He told WLKY the eagle had high lead poisoning and suffered internal trauma to its abdomen. The eagle was then taken to Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky Inc (RROKI).
According to the facility, normally the type of internal trauma this eagle had is caused by the impact of a vehicle.
Due to where she was found, officials think the injury most likely came when she fell from a tree onto rocks as lead poisoning began to affect her senses.
Due to her injuries, she didn’t have the strength to flap her wings and catch her fall.
“We would like to thank the community for the outpouring of support for this eagle. Soar free young one,” the facility wrote in a Facebook post.
Officials with RROKI urge everyone to minimize the use of the lead shot and bury trauma areas when field dressing. When fishing, they also encourage people to find lead free alternatives for traditional sinkers and tackle.