A badly injured bald eagle is being given a second chance at life at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre.
The majestic bird named Ziibi was found with injuries to her right eye along the Ottawa River by fishermen. The Wye Marsh’s Tom Glodsmith says she wouldn’t have lasted more than a day or two in the wild.
“All she could do is scavenge for little bits of leftovers, and when they lose their muscle mass they can’t fly.”
She was being cared for at the Owl Foundation in Niagara before she made the move to the Wye Marsh.
Glodsmith has been helping care for the one-year-old eagle since her arrival six weeks ago. According to him, the change in her demeanour is remarkable.
“She’s gone from a bird that was convinced we were going to eat her on the first day, to a bird we can now sit and pet and feed.”
First Nations members from around Georgian Bay held a welcoming ceremony for Ziibi on Tuesday. Her name is Ojibwe means river. The bald eagle is a sacred symbol for First Nations people.
Now that Ziibi will be living her days at the Wye Marsh, a fundraiser is being planned by the centre to help them build her an eagle flight pen. The pen will allow her to fly freely.
They also hope to educate people on the importance of this species.
