www.eagle-encounters.co.za

Martial eagle given back her freedom

By Murray Williams
Staff Writer

"Fly, eagle, fly!" In the words from the iconic children's book, an injured martial eagle was urged to spread its wings. And it did, just as in Christopher Gregorowski's African tale.

On the outskirts of Durbanville yesterday, the female raptor's freedom came after a week of care at Eagle Encounters, the raptor rehabilitation centre at Spier near Stellenbosch. She was found by a farmer seven days ago.

"She'd possibly collided with a power line and been concussed," explained Hank Chalmers.

The bird was first taken to Tygerberg animal hospital and then to Eagle Encounters.

"We treated her for secondary poisoning as a precaution, but she's fine. She is realy fat, which is a really good sign. She'll have a territory, possibly a mate, maybe even a chick out there."

Yesterday morning, day six of her care, the martial eagle sat on its perch, its eyes covered by a dark hood to protect it from trauma.

The martial eagle is Africa's largest raptor and its talons are so powerful they "could snap your arm like it was a twig", said Chalmers.

Eagle Encounters cares for about 200 birds at any given time. Three-quaters of these are under rehabilitation and destined for release back into the wild.

"We literally have to teach some of them to fly," Chalmers explained. "We take on the role of the parent."

So while raptor chicks parents would typically teach chicks to dart, dive and hunt, it is now left to Chalmers. Step by step, he uses lures, training the birds to fend for themselves in the natural food market.

Before the eagle's release yesterday, Chalmers had made sure she could fly - setting her loose on a 30m cord - and was deligthed by her immediate display of aerial power.

Cape Argus - Thursday, 8 January 2009