BAY CITY — Patrick Ruhland knew he had to do something Monday when he saw a bald eagle struggling in the waters of the Saginaw River.
Ruhland, owner of Ruhland Sail Maker in Bay City, was sailing his boat to Bay Harbor Marina when he saw the bird just south of the dock near the river bank.
He called his wife, Janelle, and had her contact the Department of Natural Resource's Bay City post.
"I thought, 'We've got to save it — it's an eagle for crying out loud," Ruhland said.
"We knew something needed to be done, but we weren't qualified."
The DNR arrived quickly to the scene, Ruhland said.
DNR officials had planned to transfer the bald eagle to Joe Rogers, raptor biologist for the Wildlife Recovery Association in Shepherd, who has worked in rehabilitating injured birds of prey for more than 30 years.
But the bird was taken instead to Midland's Animal Medical Center per Rogers' request.
Initial x-rays showed it had sustained a popped joint in one of its wings, Rogers said, a far better prognosis than a broken wing.
He said initial x-rays showed no major damage, but the bird may still need some "delicate surgery."
"Sometimes they need surgery to bring the ligaments and the cuff and rotor area back together," Rogers said. "Sometimes when there's no major damage, the joints will go back in and heal on their own."
Rogers said a bald eagle's wing joints are complex and critical to its functioning.
"Their joints are much more delicate and much more critical in alignment because wings take such stress and have to provide lift and steering and everything," he said. "Their joints are much more exact and harder to put together than a person's."
Rogers expects to take the bird and begin working with it soon. If it requires surgery, Rogers said he will contact the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital, which he says "has probably worked on more eagles than anybody else in the Great Lakes."
He said he will give preference, though, to the veterinary hospital at Michigan State University should the bald eagle require surgery.
"It's nice to keep a Michigan bird in Michigan," he said, adding that bald eagles are not uncommon in the Bay City area.
Ruhland said he and his family have been watching bald eagles near Bay Harbor Marina for several years.
"This is the closest I've ever been to one," he said.
Janelle Ruhland said she was happy the iconic avian was able to be rescued.
"I just thought that was the coolest thing that they were able to save a bald eagle," she said. "How many people can say that?"
(a) The article I have chosen is about a rescue of an endangered bald eagle. The eagle was found struggling in the waters of the Saginaw River. After standbys saw the bird the called the department of natural Resource for help they arrived quickly to the scene. The DNR took the bird to Midland’s Animal Medical Center. There x-rays were taken. The x-rays showed it had sustained a popped joint in one of the bird’s wings. The x-rays showed no major damages, but the bird may still need some “delicate surgeries.” "Sometimes they need surgery to bring the ligaments and the cuff and rotor area back together," Rogers said. "Sometimes when there's no major damage, the joints will go back in and heal on their own." A bald eagle’s wing joints are complex and critical to its functioning. "Their joints are much more delicate and much more critical in alignment because wings take such stress and have to provide lift and steering and everything," he said. "Their joints are much more exact and harder to put together than a person's." Roger will take care of it for now but if it needs surgery then he will take it to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital.
(b) I chose this article because for the past 3 months I have been studying the bald eagle and its endangerments. This article just so happen to be on bald eagles. This article proves that there are humans who are not afraid of bald eagles. It also provides proof that they are willing to help protect and keep them safe in their environment. These random humans saw an animal struggling to get free from the moving river and called for help and rescue this injured bird. It was the closest that have ever been to a bald eagle they say. They weren’t worried about them getting hurt they were just focused of saving the animal. This article gives me hope that more humans would go out of their way like these people did and help other endangered animals in the world. Even I wish I had the courage to go help. I think I would have been afraid but I would have done what was needed to be done. The eagle will live it will just have a while before it will be back to its normal self, which is understandable for it to have and injured wing.
(c) After the bald eagle what taken to the hospital for x-rays it showed that its wing was injured. It injury will heal with surgery and over time in the care of the DNR (Department of Natural Resource) and veterinary hospital at Michigan State University should the bald eagle require surgery or the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital. Basically the next step in the rescue of this bald eagle will be recovery of the bald eagle and keeping it alive. Then letting it go free after all surgeries, and healing is done.
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