THE Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) rescued a severely injured crowned eagle which was suspected to have been hurt in an encounter with a troop of mongooses. 

Also read: Become a guardian of the wild at Crow

Clint Halkett-Siddall, director at Crow, said the crowned eagle was found in Pennington, South Coast, already injured.

“It is suspected that he was hurt during an encounter with a troop of mongooses while he was trying to catch one. The exact circumstances aren’t known,” he said. 

Treatment

The eagle was immediately admitted to Crow for assessment and treatment.

“His wounds were treated with an insecticide wound spray, and he was given antibiotics and fluids to support his condition. He was then taken to a vet for further assessment and X-rays, to determine the full extent of his injuries and guide the next steps in his care. Thankfully there were no breaks found, and he was then moved into our flight aviaries so that we could monitor his flight,” he said. 

Recovery and ringing

After making its recovery at Crow on November 5, the eagle was ringed just before its release.  The rings are used to identify and keep track of the crowned eagle without anyone needed to physically follow it. 

“Ringing is particularly valuable for juvenile crowned eagles. Once young eagles have fledged and are strong enough to fend for themselves, they leave the area they grew up in and head off to establish their own territory. Ring sightings are often the only way to know where they end up and how they’re doing,” he said.

Protected species

Crowned eagles are under South Africa’s Threatened or Protected Species list and have to follow certain regulations. That means protection of every one of these birds is important. 

Contact

Crow is urging the community to contact them whenever they spot an injured bird or any wildlife on 031 462 1127 or for after hours and emergencies contact 083 212 5281. 

Facts about the crowned eagle:

• Crowned eagles are more common in eThekwini now than previously predicted. They nest roughly every 2.5km along river systems in eThekwini. 
• They have a strong reliance on indigenous forest patches and are vulnerable to habitat loss and human impact
• Domestic pets make up less than 1% of their diets.

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