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A young bald eagle will be released back into the wild today, after having been treated for lead poisoning.
The eagle was rescued by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on December 7th. It was taken to the Wild Instincts Wildlife Rehab Center near Rhinelander. They discovered that the bird’s blood lead content was more than three times the level that is considered toxic. Chelation therapy has since returned the levels to normal.
The young eagle had been observed feeding off a deer carcass before it became too weak to fly away. Officials believe that the deer may have been shot with lead bullets or pellets, and that the meat had become contaminated.
Most eagles who register blood lead levels as high as this one die. This success story will conclude this afternoon at 3:00, when the eagle is released at the Superior Dome in Marquette.
