SULLIVAN: golden eagle
Sullivan, an adult male golden eagle, is one of our most popular "Education Ambassadors" at the Center. In February 2012, Good Samaritans found him on the ground in Chular, California, very thin and unable to fly. They took him to the Monterey County SPCA, who transferred him to us. Our veterinarians' examination revealed such a badly broken left wing that his wingtip required amputation. This also meant he could not be returned to the wild, as he would never fly again.
After his surgery at the UCD Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), Sullivan was returned to the Center for rehabilitation. The goal was to determine if he could live without stress in a cage, in the constant presence of humans. In January 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accepted Sullivan as a permanent Education Ambassador for the Center.