Utah nonprofit hoping to rehabilitate two injured bald eagles found on same day

OGDEN, Utah — A nonprofit program that aims to rehabilitate wildlife in Utah started February by taking two bald eagles, both critical, into its care.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, a nonprofit based in Ogden, is asking for donations to help the two injured birds, it said were living symbols of the U.S. Both of the animals were critically injured and each arrived on Feb. 1.

It provided pictures of a 4- to 5-year-old male eagle that it was was hit by a vehicle, suffering head trauma and paralyzation in its lower extremities.

“By evening, while still not standing, we did note some response to stimuli in both legs, he was able to flair his tail, and he had a “projectile” mute (poop), all of which are good signs when there is paralysis involved,” the center wrote on its Facebook page.

The program said it doesn’t receive any state or federal money for treating the official bird of the U.S., or any of the center’s patients. It said it has the goal of releasing the birds back to the wild but that there are no guarantees that will happen. The center places birds that can’t be returned into legal facilities as education ambassadors for their species and others.

“Both eagles will require a healthy amount of support ($$) to get through this.”

In the two released photos, one shows the bird looking more alert in a second photo where it appears more “sleepy-eyed” with ruffled feathers.

The center’s website says it has helped 31,187 patients from its opening in 2009 through the final day of 2021.

It says donations can be taken through its information and donation page at: wrcnu.org/donate.