Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
May 15, 1998

Bald eagle euthanized

The injured bald eagle that crashed through a car windshield was euthanized April 16 because its severely injured wing prevented its release back into the wild. The 12 1/2-pound eagle had been at the Wildlife Care Clinic at the College of Veterinary Medicine since early December.

The eagle made headlines after it survived a shotgun blast and a crash landing through a car windshield in Des Moines. ISU veterinary surgeons twice operated on its shattered left wing. The damage, however, was too severe.

"The injuries were such that the eagle could not fly," said Mary Ann Nieves, associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences.

She said the aim of eagle rehabilitation is to release the bird back into the wild. If that is not possible, the eagle is euthanized.

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