Green Balkans team rescued yet another young Imperial Eagle

The signal for an inexperienced young Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliacal) fallen from a nest, was sent to Green Balkans by Hristo Peshev and Rusi Todorov, who witnessed the falling of the bird from its nest, located in the area of the Sakar Mountains. On July 18th 2011, the young eagle, aged about 70 days fell off the edge of the nest, while moving inside. Without an apparent reason or direct disturbance, the eagle lost balance and fell down not succeeding to take off. Despite the fact that the bird is fully-fledged and is at an almost perfect age for successful flight, it tumbled down on a lower branch. Looking stressed and helpless, the eaglet stood down on the branch, not moving for over two hours. At the same time one of the adults, which returned to the nest completely ignored the fallen eaglet and did not even attempt to feed it or entice it to fly.

After the signal was received by Green Balkans, a specialized team of the organizations rushed on site to help the eaglet, collecting it from the branch where it stood helpless and still.

The team assessed that at that moment it was best for the fallen eaglet as well as for its sibling still sitting in the nest to redirect the fallen eaglet to the Wildlife Rescue Centre at Green Balkans in Stara Zagora. The bird was immediately transported and accommodated in the Centre, to be thoroughly examined by our specialist, who could decide its later faith.

Let us remind you, that the Wildlife Rescue Centre is the only place, where qualified veterinary assistance can be rendered to protected birds in distress. The rehabilitation carried out there is coordinated with the existing national legislation. This is the second time this year that the Centre staff is helping a young Imperial Eagle in distress. Considering the fact that barely some 20 pairs of the rare species are known to the experts in Bulgaria in 2011, the rescue and survival of every single chick is of vital importance.

We would like to thank Hristo Peshev and Rusi Todorov from Ekotan Ltd for the signal and their overall assistance.

The activities of Green Balkans targeting the protection and studying of Imperial Eagles in Sakar in 2011 are supported by EuroNatur – Germany, the Walsrode Bird Park – Germany, the EECONET Action Fund (EAF), MINOX – Visible Inovation, the participants of the biking tour from the Dutch lake of Naarermeer to Sakar and the coast of the Black Sea - Gert van der Slikke, Feiko Prins, Jan Willem van Rijn van Alkemade and Juun de Boer, as well as other friends and partners of Green Balkans.

For further information, please contact:
Gradimir Gradev – Imperial Eagle field coordinator
e-mail: ggradev@greenbalkans.org , phone: +359 0885 609289

Liubomila Krivoshieva – Wildlife Rehabilitator
e-mail: lkrivoshieva@greenbalkans-wrbc.org, phone: + 359 885228486

Photo credit: Hristo Peshev