Maryland

Injured Bald Eagle Rescued From Metro Tracks to Be Euthanized

A bald eagle who was rescued from Metro tracks in Landover, Maryland, will be euthanized because its wing is irreparably injured, wildlife rescuers say.

Wildlife officers rescued the injured bald eagle that was stuck on Metro tracks Wednesday evening and brought it to City Wildlife, an organization that rehabilitates wild animals found around the District.

City Wildlife conducted x-rays and discovered the bird suffered multiple fractures to its wing, the organization's director, Jim Monsma, said in a statement. Wildlife veterinarians unanimously concluded the bird's wing was too injured to recover.

City Wildlife announced Thursday that the bird would be humanely euthanized.

"We would, of course, had loved to save saved this bird, but the injuries were too severe," Monsma said.

"Our built-up environment makes life convenient and pleasant for us, but in so many ways it makes survival difficult for wild animals, who have evolved to live in a very different world. The eagle is, tragically, another victim whose life ended too soon," Monsma said.

Dramatic video from Chopper4 showed rescuers slowly approach the eagle as it sat just off one of the tracks near the Morgan Boulevard station. Several animal control officers covered the eagle with blankets before putting it inside a plastic blue bin.

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Watch the moment rescuers moved in to gain control of an injured eagle along Metro tracks in Maryland.

It's unknown how the eagle got injured.

The saga started just after 5 p.m. when Metro tweeted a photo of the eagle sitting on the tracks.

Metro says it took down power to the third rail as soon as someone spotted the bird, forcing trains to single track during the rescue.

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