Lady Baltimore (eagle) explained

Lady Baltimore was a non-releasable bald eagle in the care of the non-profit Juneau Raptor Center (JRC), in Juneau, Alaska.[1] Lady Baltimore was found shot and injured on Alaska's Douglas Island in 2006. She had suffered injuries to her beak and one wing caused by a poacher. The injury to her beak caused the retina in her left eye to become detached, blinding her in that eye. Because of these injuries she had no depth perception, and could not be released into the wild.[2]

Life

Lady Baltimore was found after a failed poaching, which left her alive but severely injured. Volunteers with the Juneau Raptor Center rescued her, after an estimated 2 weeks of surviving her injuries on her own. JRC volunteers found her to be malnourished, and determined that she could not survive on her own, because her injuries caused her to aim her body poorly when flying and hunting.[2] Since then, Lady Baltimore had been cared for year-round by JRC. During the summer tourist season she was put on display as an educational animal in a mew created and maintained by JRC, at the Mount Roberts Tramway on Mount Roberts.[3]

New habitat, and relocation

In 2019, the Mount Roberts Tramway and other donors paid for a new mew. The new habitat was larger, and provided better viewing for both visitors as well as the eagle.[4]

However, in 2022, Lady Baltimore's host, the Juneau Raptor Center, ended operations. As a result, Lady Baltimore was moved along with two other eagles to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka.[5]

Death

In February, 2024, staff at the Alaska Raptor Center discovered that Lady Baltimore's health had deteriorated to the point where she no longer had a good quality of life. She was subsequently euthanized.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lady Baltimore . https://web.archive.org/web/20170110090334/http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/photos/6767951/ . dead . January 10, 2017 . . 30 December 2014 . 16 August 2015.
  2. Web site: Education Birds . . June 2013. 15 August 2015.
  3. News: Catch-22 for the Juneau Raptor Center . . 27 September 2013. 15 August 2015.
  4. News: Ben. Hohenstatt . Juneau Raptor Center gives 'good old bird' new display . . 6 April 2019. 11 April 2019.
  5. News: Juneau raptor center suspends operations . Clarise . Larson . . 13 September 2022 . 31 October 2022.
  6. News: Legends of Lady Baltimore, Juneau's famous bald eagle, fly on after her death . Jasz. Garrett . . 9 June 2024 . 9 June 2024.