Avian arrest: UW-Green Bay Police rescue injured eagle on Arboretum Trail

UW-Green Bay Police “apprehended” a juvenile male bald eagle on campus Friday, June 21, bringing the injured bird to the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary for evaluation.

Officers were patrolling the Cofrin Arboretum Trail around 8 a.m. when they came across a woman looking up into a tree, where a small bald eagle sat perched on a branch approximately 15 feet above the trail. Officers returned an hour later to find the bird still perched on the branch, unusually low to the ground and not having moved, said UW-Green Bay Police Officer Tony Decker.

After placing a call to Animal Control for advice, the officers shook the eagle from the branch, catching it safely in a blanket for transport to the nearby Wildlife Sanctuary. The male bird, dehydrated and missing an eye, was en route to the vet mid-morning Friday, said Jennifer Barrett, visitor specialist at the Wildlife Sanctuary. It is thought to be 1 to 2 years old, and may have been struck by a car.

Assisting in the rescue was Officer Nick Dennis, who is pictured holding the eagle. The video shows just how close to the ground the injured bird was perched.

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