This footage shows an injured golden eagle that has been rescued after it broke its wing when it hit a train.
The incident took place in Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty and the golden eagle was saved by a woman identified by the first name Evgeniya who spoke to Newsflash in an exclusive interview.
Animal rescuer Evgeniya said: “The golden eagle was found near a train depot. Based on the nature of its injuries and on the location where it was found, it is believed that it collided with a locomotive.”
Evgeniya said that the golden eagle might have been hunting in the area before crashing “into a locomotive at flying speed.” She added that it was left with a broken “and almost torn off wing.”
The first video shows the eagle during the rescue in the train depot. It can be seen being held by one of the members of the team, with a blanket over its head so it does not panic. The team member lifts the blanket to reveal the large bird of prey.
A second piece of footage shows the eagle resting on a blanket after having been given something to drink, while a final piece of footage shows the eagle appearing to be doing much better.
The third video indeed shows it being picked up by one of the animal rescue team members while a man talks next to them. They get a bit close and the bird, which seems to have regained some strength, appears to attempt to bite the man’s fingers, causing everyone to laugh.
The wounded golden eagle from the Red Book was found in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
(@almaty_pomosh_zhivotnym/Newsflash)
The wounded golden eagle from the Red Book was found in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
(@almaty_pomosh_zhivotnym/Newsflash)
Evgeniya said that while she and her team saved the bird, unfortunately, it will not be able to return to the wild because “its wing is shattered.”
She added: “In the wild, with such injuries, the predator usually dies because it cannot continue to hunt. After rehabilitation, the golden eagle will continue its life in the zoo together with other disabled birds.”
While golden eagles are listed as animals of least concern by the IUCN, Evgeniya said that they are listed in the “Red Book in Russia and Kazakhstan” and that “the population is small and constantly declining”.
The Red Book, officially the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (RDBRF), the government database that documents rare and endangered animal and plant species.
While golden eagles can be found in many countries in the northern hemisphere, in many parts of the world, the numbers have recently experienced sharp declines.
The wounded golden eagle from the Red Book was found in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
(@almaty_pomosh_zhivotnym/Newsflash)
The wounded golden eagle from the Red Book was found in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
(@almaty_pomosh_zhivotnym/Newsflash)
The wounded golden eagle from the Red Book was found in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
(@almaty_pomosh_zhivotnym/Newsflash)
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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