The Wildlife Center of Virginia, a leading teaching and research hospital for native wildlife, released a Bald Eagle on Wednesday, December 12, at the Land’s End Wildlife Management Area. On November 11, an animal control officer in King George County picked up a mature Bald Eagle—an eagle that had reportedly been fighting with another eagle. The injured eagle was taken to a local permitted rehabilitator. The eagle was admitted to the Wildlife Center on November 13 and was assigned Patient Number 12-2554—the 2,554th patient admitted to the Center in 2012.

Upon admission, Dr. Rich Sim and the veterinary treatment team examined the male Bald Eagle and treated it for a bruised right elbow The eagle was placed on a course of anti-inflammatories and pain medications. The bird showed steady improvement and was gradually moved to a large flight pen on Thanksgiving Day. The Center’s rehabilitation staff has been exercising the eagle in the flight pen, gradually building up the bird’s stamina to allow for its release back to the wild.