Poisoned B.C. golden eagle recovers, released; bird sanctuary issues plea against rodenticide

A golden eagle was released back into the B.C. wilderness on Thursday, strongly and swiftly flying away after being rescued this week.

A few days earlier, though, the majestic male raptor was in rough shape after landing in a Grand Forks backyard Sunday evening, with the property owners reaching out for help. By Monday, with the bird immobile, and a B.C. Conservation Officer came to the rescue.

The eagle was transported to the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls (SORCO) in Oliver, where it was determined that the juvenile raptor had been poisoned. He quickly recovered after being given antidote shots.

On its Twitter account, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said “we’re happy to report this golden eagle made a full recovery at SORCO and was released today in Grand Forks, in the same spot where it was found. Shortly after release, it was spotted flying with another eagle!”

SORCO manager Dale Belvedere believes the other eagle flying with the one released was its mate, calling it a great ending to what could have been a tragic tale.

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According to Belvedere, the poisoning likely stemmed from the golden eagle eating a rodent that had ingested rodenticide.

“We want to educate people not to use this poisoning,” said Belvedere. “It’s very dangerous, it’s very cruel.

“And it just doesn’t affect raptors; it can affect household cats that get ahold of rodents that ingest the poison.”

2:29 Getting close and person with birds of prey at the Allan Brooks Nature Centre in Vernon