Vega's Story

Vega's Story. . , "Vega" was a young bald eagle when she arrived at the Maryland Zoo in 2014. At five years old, she had the markings of a juvenile and the experience of a survivor., Vega was first rescued in North Carolina in 2009 as a fledgling, barely out of her enormous eagle nest. When she was found, she was severely emaciated. She was nursed back to health and released, only to turn up weeks later with an injured wing. Again, she was rehabbed and released, but then found almost immediately in a lake. She is fully flighted but appears to have an impaired ability to judge distance. For her own safety, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) deemed her non-releasable. She now lives at the Zoo, where she is thriving and where others can see her up close and appreciate the true size and magnificence of a bald eagle., Vega, like her grizzly bear neighbors, is a wild animal that for valid reason cannot be returned to her native habitat. The Zoo's mission includes caring for wild animals in need. We work closely with conservation partners at local, state, federal, and international levels, often in coordination with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and we apply our knowledge, expertise, and resources to achieve the best outcome for every animal. Sometimes that means a second chance at life in the wild; sometimes that means a new lease on life here at the Zoo.