Detroit Zoo's Eagles Get A New Waterfront Home

Mon, 11/17/2008 - 3:29 PM

By Patricia Janeway

Royal Oak, MI - The Detroit Zoo’s two bald eagles have moved from their home near the Arctic Food Court into their new Pierson Lake habitat across from the Asian wild horses. Their surroundings feature a view of the lake, a more spacious environment and a quieter atmosphere.

The eagles, Lindy and Amelia, are named after two famous American aviators, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Lindy, a male, arrived at the Detroit Zoo in 1988 and Amelia, a female, relocated to Detroit in 1995. Both birds were wild-born but had suffered injuries to their wings that prevented them from being released back into the wild.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) earned its name from the Old English word “balde”, meaning white, referring to the distinctive white feathers covering its head and tail. The majestic bird can have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet and weigh 7 to 15 pounds, making it one of the largest birds in North America.

Once a common inhabitant of North America, the bald eagle was threatened due to pesticide contamination, habitat destruction and hunting, and was one of the first species listed on the federal Endangered Species Act. Its numbers have increased in recent years and, as of last year, it is no longer considered threatened. The bald eagle has recovered in Michigan as well, with the population growing from less than 100 nesting pairs in 1980 to nearly 500 pairs in 2006, including several in Southeast Michigan.

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October. Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. For more information, call (313) 852-4056.
 



       
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Unusual to have three snow leopard cubs Thu, 7/1/2010 - 2:58 AM — journeymaven

Congratulations to ABQ BioPark and the proud cat parents on the birth of three snow leopard cubs. That's fantastic news and we look forward to these three playing an important role in snow leopard survival breeding and also helping educate people about their endangered cousins in the wild.

Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme environments on earth - in high altitudes and freezing temperatures. If we don't do a lot of work with communities and governments in snow leopards 12 range countries, these beautiful cats may be extinct in the wild in our life time.

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Love penguin fluffballs. Thu, 6/3/2010 - 5:06 PM — ConservationCute

I especially liked if you go to the zoo's homepage and click on the info about naming the baby, the winner says she'd like to be able to tell her dad that a penguin was named after him for his birthday. Adorable!


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response to starseed Sun, 4/18/2010 - 11:11 PM — Tessa

I fully agree with you when it comes to the captivity of orcas. These animals live considerably shorter, unhealthier lives than they normally would have in the wild. I am disgusted by what I have seen at Sea World. They claim to be trying to educate people on the animals when really it is all nothing but a circus with the animals being made to perform to attract customers. I am a little more on the fence however when it comes to some other species of dolphins, such as the ones they keep at Vancouver Aquarium. While I do not support the capture of wild dolphins, I do recognize the fact that there are species that actually live longer and perhaps healthier lives in captivity than in the wild. One of the neat things at the Vancouver Aquarium is that none of the dolphins were captured for the purpose of entertainment: they were all animals that were rescued after getting caught and injured in fishing nets and are unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. I have seen the shows and the aquarium are truly focused more on educating visitors than trying to entertain them at the animals' expense.


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I know that Christian is dedicated to her aquarium job and to the rehab of sea turtles.  I am proud of her.


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Don't support it anymore Tue, 3/16/2010 - 7:31 AM — starseed2

I think we should move on from having dolphins in captivity now - we all know this isn't good for them.


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The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a magical place.  The flora, fauna, remoteness and beauty are exquisite.  Another interesting aspect is how the indigenous people there live.  To learn more and see photos  taken by indigenous children in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, you can visit ninosdelaamazonia.org



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