CAMDENTON, Mo. — A bald eagle is now recovering after it was rescued by Missouri firefighters, according to the Mid-County Fire Protection District.
Firefighters were responding to an emergency call involving a helicopter landing the morning of Feb. 19 near Camdenton, the district said on its Facebook page. During the call, some of the first responders noticed a bald eagle in a ditch line.
The firefighters helped the helicopter take off with a patient onboard and transitioned into helping the eagle. There, they noticed the animal was injured and, after contacting the Missouri Department of Conservation, took the eagle to the fire station to await conservation agents.
"The Missouri Department of Conservation took the animal into custody and transported the bald eagle to Columbia for care," the department said.
The University of Missouri's Raptor Rehabilitation Project works to re-introduce injured birds of prey back into the wild after treatment, according to the project's website. After hospitalization, the bird's injuries are assessed and necessary medical procedures are performed so the birds can recover.
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