Ornithologists rescue rare white-tailed eagle ‘shot by poachers’ in southern Romania

codalb/white-tailed eagle, injured bird rescued by ornithologists, ngo Luana's Dream, Facebook.
codalb/white-tailed eagle, injured bird rescued by ornithologists, ngo Luana's Dream, Facebook.

Ornithologists have rescued a white-tailed eagle that had been shot and was found lying in a field, near the River Danube in southern Romania.

Romania’s Ornithological Society and the Luana’s Dream Foundation said on Thursday it was “a clear case of poaching.” The white-tailed eagle, also known as the sea eagle, is one of the largest birds of prey and is an endangered species in Romania and elsewhere.

The bird which had shotgun pellets embedded in one of its legs was found on Tuesday by a man looking after the field in the village of Fantanele, in Teleorman county. It was handed to the Ornithological Society who gave it to non-governmental organization Luana’s Dream for medical treatment.

Veterinarians examined it and said that “apart from being in a state of extreme weakness” it had a fractured leg ”probably caused by the pellets,” a post on Facebook said Thursday.

The post said the bird had probably survived on carrion that was nearby and was otherwise healthy. Vets said they hoped it would eventually make a full recovery and then be released.

The white-tailed eagle is one of the largest birds of prey and one of the biggest of the eagle species to be found in Europe, with a wingspan measuring 1.78 to 2.45 meters.

Its natural habitat is near water, in lowland areas. They live in the far south of Romania along the Danube and near the Danube Delta.

The Ornithological Society says the population has declined and there are now just 55-75 pairs in Romania.

Worldwide, some populations have recovered well due to some government protection programs and conservationists and naturalists who have protected its habitat.

LĂSAȚI UN MESAJ

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here