Three bald eagles died and 10 others were sickened after eating animals that had been chemically euthanized and dropped in a landfill, Minnesota wildlife officials said Sunday.
Experts at the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota are caring for the critically ill birds, with the director predicting they will all eventually recover and be released into the wild. State and federal agencies are investigating, too.
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Last Sunday, an officer of the Inver Grove Heights police department found an extremely ill young bald eagle in the snow near a landfill. He brought it to the Raptor Center, where staff discovered traces of pentobarbital, which is used to euthanize animals.
Volunteers the next day came upon nine more birds that were similarly afflicted, according to the Raptor Center. The day after that, U.S. Fish and Wildlife found another eagle.
“The suspicion that these birds were suffering from pentobarbital poisoning was further heightened when it was confirmed that carcasses of animals that had been euthanized with chemicals were brought to the landfill on Friday and could have been scavenged on by eagles,” the center said on Facebook.
Three birds had severe lead poisoning and one had avian influenza, the center said, adding, “The remaining 10 patients are still alive and under the intensive care of our expert veterinary staff.”
The center’s executive director, Victoria Hall, expressed optimism about their chance at recovery. Chemically euthanized animals must be disposed of in a way that prevents other animals from scavenging on them, she noted.
“This heartbreaking incident is yet another example of how critical it is for humans to be mindful of what we are putting into the environment,” the center stated. “We are all connected, and sometimes our actions can have unintended and devastating consequences.”
