Bald eagle found ‘frozen’ and unable to fly. See the rescue with ‘best ending ever’
First responders in Alaska had an unusual overnight guest: a juvenile bald eagle in need of help.
A good Samaritan came across the “quite frozen” eagle that couldn’t fly on the evening of Jan. 11 and waved over a Fairbanks International Airport police officer, the Fairbanks Airport Police and Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post.
After checking with the Alaska Raptor Center, first responders put the eagle in a patrol car to get it out of the cold, according to the post.
The eagle spent the night munching on fatty steak and salmon and “resting peacefully in a dark, quiet corner of the station,” officials said.
The eagle was assessed with help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and it was determined to be in great shape, officials said.
The bird was released back into the wild, the Fairbanks Airport Police and Fire Department said in a follow-up Facebook post on Jan. 12 declaring it “the best ending ever.”
The post included video of the bird flying away.
People can be heard celebrating in the background.
“Oh yeah, he soars,” someone said as the eagle took flight.
Another person said, “He’s super strong. That’s wonderful.”
In the follow-up Facebook post, officials thanked “everyone who showed concern, especially to the Good Samaritan who called in the frozen bird and helped (rescue) it. We wish every day could be as exciting as this one was!”
This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Bald eagle found ‘frozen’ and unable to fly. See the rescue with ‘best ending ever’."
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