Bald Eagle Rescued in Gwangyang Originates from This Place in the U.S., 10,000 km Away

Found in Gwangyang field with dislocated wing joint
Release decision to be discussed with zoo after treatment

An injured bald eagle was found and rescued in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do. This eagle had an identification tag from the Denver Zoo in the United States attached to it.

A bald eagle found in a field in Gwangyang, Jeonnam. An identification tag from the Denver Zoo in the United States is attached to its wing. [Image source=Jeonnam Wildlife Rescue and Management Center]

On the 30th, the Jeollanam-do Wildlife Rescue Management Center and fire authorities reported that at 12:17 PM the previous day, a report was received that a bald eagle was alive but unable to fly in a field in Gwangyang-eup, Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do. Upon receiving the rescue request from the fire authorities, the Jeollanam-do Wildlife Rescue Management Center sent a veterinarian to the scene and took the bald eagle with a dislocated wing joint for emergency treatment. The eagle’s wing and ankle had identification tags from the Denver Zoo in the United States, with a message written in English and Mongolian asking to be contacted if found. The straight-line distance from Gwangyang to Denver is about 10,000 km.

This bald eagle, designated as a natural monument and a second-class endangered species under domestic standards, was estimated to be a relatively young individual weighing 6.4 kg at the time of discovery. It was reported that the eagle was not infected with the avian influenza (AI) virus.

The Jeollanam-do Wildlife Rescue Management Center stated, "Bald eagles, which are migratory birds, inhabit areas near Mongolia during the summer and migrate to warmer regions near the Korean Peninsula in winter," adding, "Although the flight path is unknown, we plan to contact the zoo to ascertain the exact circumstances."

They continued, "Eagles with wingspans reaching up to 2 meters often get injured by high-voltage power lines," and said, "After treatment, we will discuss with the Denver Zoo about whether to release the eagle back into the wild."

In particular, bald eagles that mainly inhabit Central Asian regions such as Mongolia are often found in various locations on the Korean Peninsula during winter. When the timing is right, flocks of eagles are known to gather not only in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do but also in Goseong, Gyeongsangnam-do.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.