Tulsa Zoo Staff Releases Rehabilitated Bald Eagle

The veterinary staff at the Tulsa Zoo has been working for months to rehabilitate a wounded female bald eagle.

A couple of months ago she had a flight training session at Mohawk Park, and Tuesday was graduation day.

Lots of people showed up at the northeast end of Lake Oologah for a rare event, the release of a successfully rehabilitated bald eagle.

"We don't get to do this very often, it's a real treat," Dr. Kay Backues said.

Annette King Tucker said, "This is the second eagle in ten years, between the two of us we've gotten to release."

This is a collaboration; the Oklahoma Wildlife Department brought the eagle to Wild Heart Ranch in November, they, in turn, took it to the Tulsa Zoo where it had several surgeries to repair gunshot wounds.

You may remember back in February the Zoo staff had the eagle out at Mohawk Park doing a little flight training. In fact I got to hold it then "toss" it into the air once myself.

The daily training sessions have the young female bald eagle strong enough to fend for herself, so several people were at the Blue Creek Cove to see.

They got her out of her crate, still hooded so she'd stay calm. nothing left to do but send her on her way.

The Zoo is also working to rehab an older male bald eagle. His wounds were more severe and the recovery is taking much longer.