Setbacks for surviving eagle in death spiral

The surviving eagle from the death spiral in Valdez is being monitored for severe head trauma.

Andrea Gusty / KTVA Channell 11 News


ANCHORAGE, Alaska—The surviving eagle from the death spiral in Valdez is being monitored for severe head trauma.

In what experts believe to be a mating ritual gone wrong in Valdez, the female locked talons with a male mid-air, then both spiraled to the ground crashing head first.

The male died on impact.

The female eagle has been recovering at Bird Treatment and Learning Center but after making progress all week, yesterday she suffered a set back.

Staffers say the eagle got stuck after falling on her back while in her cage.

Given her injuries, experts say the incident is likely an affect of head trauma.

She's made it a long ways already from where she was when she started, but just like with any head trauma, even in humans, it can take a little more time even after you are up walking around. You may still have dizzy spells and I think that may be what we are experiencing with her,” said Cindy Palmatier Director of Avian Care.

Staff at Bird TLC will continue to monitor the eagle for head trauma and ligament damage in her wing.

If she can be released back into the wild, experts want to bring the eagle home to Valdez, otherwise the eagle will spend the rest of her life in a zoo or educational center.