OKALOOSA ISLAND — Visitors were gazing at an adult bald eagle perched on a branch inside a small cage at the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge on Thursday when it flapped its wings and flew up until it was halted by the top of the cage.
The eagle was brought to the refuge in early March, one of several to make its way to the facility on Okaloosa Island in recent months. The refuge houses a variety of animals, from bobcats and foxes to opossums and ducks, but few get as much attention as the eagle.
Now, the refuge is asking for help to raise funds for a final push to get a flight cage to allow eagles to stay at the refuge permanently if they are unable to released back into the wild.
“We need a large enough area for them to fly around in,” said Kelsey Smith, an animal health technician at the refuge. “It’s not fair for them to be stuck in these small cages, but that’s all we have.”
Smith said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relocates eagles rehabilitated at the refuge.
A juvenile eagle that has been at the refuge since December is waiting to be taken to Busch Gardens, where it will be exhibited.
The adult eagle is still being treated, but also will be moved when it is ready.
The eagles’ cages are shaded to help ease stress, but are much smaller than needed.
The new octagonal flight cage will be 100 feet wide and be placed on the refuge’s portion of the old Island Golf Center on the north side of U.S. Highway 98. The property eventually will be the refuge’s permanent home.
John Hofstad, public works director for Okaloosa County, said the lease agreement for the property is complete. The refuge now must submit a development plan, one of the final tasks before construction can start.
Susan Leveille, education director at the refuge, said the flight cage will cost about $20,000. She said there are only a few thousand dollars left to raise.
“The eagles’ flight cage is extremely important to us because it will allow us to fully rehabilitate animals of this nature here locally and release them in their home territory,” Leveille said. “It goes without saying that, as our national symbol, these are animals that are just majestic and powerful. They have a whole nation full of admirers.
“We would like to do whatever we can to encourage their growth and keep them in their area.”
Click here to learn more about the refuge or to donate >>
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.
