Bald Eagle / Amelia the Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle, also, Amelia the Bald Eagle. . , Bald Eagle , Bald eagles are large birds of prey found throughout North America. They typically prefer habitats near lakes, streams, or rivers where they can hunt for their primary prey of fish. However, bald eagles also regularly eat ducks, squirrels, rabbits, muskrats, and carrion (carcasses of dead animals)., A Conservation Success Story , Populations were historically decimated by pollution, overhunting, and habitat destruction. One of the greatest threats was from the use of the chemical DDT. DDT would accumulate in fish eaten by the eagles, causing them to produce eggs with thin shells that would crack in the nest and prevent young eagles from hatching. The ban of DDT and the creation of the Endangered Species Act in the early 1970s has led to a dramatic increase in the eagle population. In fact, the population has increased from 400 pairs in the United States in the early 1970s to nearly 7,000 pairs!, Amelia the Bald Eagle , Amelia came to us as an ambassador for her species in 2014. She was injured with a complex fracture of her humerus in the wild in the state of Washington, and her injury was too severe for her to be able to fly and to be released back to the wild. Amelia's favorite activities include interacting with her keepers and shredding enrichment items like bags and carved squashes to find her food., How Can I Help Bald Eagles? , You can help bald eagles by cleaning up pollution near lakes, streams, and rivers; hunting or shooting with lead-free ammunition; or by volunteering at your zoo. If you would like to help us save birds of prey by volunteering at the Good Zoo, please e-mail [email protected].