A golden eagle was released back to the wild Thursday, near Deary, Idaho, to commemorate a $25,000 donation the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Raptor Rehabilitation Fund received for raptor care. The cash gift, given by Potlatch, a real estate investment trust with about 1.5 million acres of forestland in Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oregon, is earmarked for construction of an eagle flight training enclosure. “For many years, this college has worked hard to care for raptors and whenever possible return them to the wild,” said Erik Stauber, DVM, Ph.D., head of the college’s Raptor Rehabilitation program. “Medical care for these birds is a vital component of a complete professional veterinary education, our ethics and our sense of compassion.” The golden eagle, which had been discovered unable to fly near Okanogan, Wash., several months ago, had been sent to WSU for advanced care by another raptor rehabilitator. Before it was sent to WSU it was though that the bird, although healed, may not fly again. “Potlatch’s 660,000 acres of Idaho forestlands are home to many species of raptors, so it makes good sense for Potlatch to share data and knowledge about raptors with WSU,” said Brian Moser, Potlatch wildlife biologist. “We conduct ongoing cooperative research projects with the college that not only helps the scientific community, but directly benefits the birds themselves.”
