THE Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) recently saved a young Crowned eagle in Chatsworth after it was spotted on the ground being battered by an opportunistic gang of crows. A concerned member of the public contacted Crow, who rescued one of South Africa’s most revered raptors from what could have been a fatal ordeal.

Also read: Crow says no to plastic this JulyCrow

Crow director Clint Halkett-Siddall said the Crowned eagle had suffered from a wounded right eye and was found in a highly stressed and dehydrated state.

“The bird was confused and bleeding from the mouth. We flushed out the eye, cleaned blood from its mouth, gave it fluids and started it on antibiotics and eye medication. The eye was treated every three hours,” said Halkett-Siddall.

Even after being administered intensive care and referred to an ophthalmologist, the eagle’s right eye was regrettably permanently damaged. “Unfortunately, this bird will not be able to hunt in the wild and therefore will be sent to a Crowned eagle breeding programme as it is a Threatened or Protected Species,” said Halkett-Siddall.

Crowned eagles are silent birds with enormous talons and first rate flying skills. Halkett-Siddall said they are elite airborne predators that can attack prey as big as monkeys and young antelope and as small as domesticated pets. This has created a negative perception of these birds.

“There’s a general perception that Crowned eagles pose a huge threat to domesticated animals kept in the house. But scientific studies, including those carried out by the Kloof Conservancy, show that domesticated animals like cats, dogs and chickens, make up less than 6% of Crowned eagle’s menu. In the majority of the cases, it’s less than 1%,” said Halkett-Siddall.

Their most common prey in urban settings consists of rock hyraxes (dassies), duikers and other fauna. However, Halkett-Siddall promotes responsibility for pet care. “To safely co-exist with these amazing but threatened birds, we suggest keeping cats in covered catios and keeping small dogs indoors when eagles are present,” said Halkett-Siddall.

Crow continues to fight for the right to a second chance at life for many animals.

For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.