Bald eagles are the national bird of the United States and are federally protected.
JAMESTOWN, Ky. — A bald eagle found with a gunshot wound at a Kentucky state park will be humanely euthanized after veterinarians determined its injuries were too severe for recovery.
Video from Lake Cumberland State Resort Park shows employees carefully trapping the injured eagle, which was later taken to a wildlife veterinarian for evaluation. After an examination, officials said the damage caused by the gunshot wound was too extensive to treat.
The eagle was discovered Monday by the park’s naturalist and was safely secured by a group of Lake Cumberland State Resort Park employees. The team worked alongside the Lake Cumberland Wildlife Refuge Home of Liberty Nature Center to approach the bird in the woods and place it into a secure carrier.
Park officials said that if the eagle had been able to fully recover, it would have been released back into the state park. At the time it was found, the exact cause of the injury was not immediately known.
On Wednesday, the park confirmed on social media that the eagle’s injuries were the result of a gunshot wound. Officials said the damage to the bird’s wing and surrounding tissue was too severe for surgery or rehabilitation.
“Despite our hopes and the dedicated efforts of wildlife veterinarians, the injuries from a gunshot wound are too severe for recovery,” the park said in a statement.
Because the eagle would be unable to fly and would continue to live in pain, officials said it will be humanely euthanized.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act makes it illegal to harm or kill a bald eagle in the United States. Violations can result in fines of up to $100,000 and up to one year in prison, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“We know many of you have been following this eagle’s story and hoping for a miracle. We share your grief,” Lake Cumberland State Resort Park said in its post.
The park is asking anyone with information related to the shooting to contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
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