When most of us think of Tampa, Florida, we envision the urban life of a thriving port city. However, there are also several wildlife preserves and nature parks bordering the outskirts of Tampa. Mike Parks, Field Operations Manager at Coast 2 Coast, lives just in between. Eagles are a common sight in his community and the neighborhood alligator is named Billy. Needless to say, that while Mike enjoys the wildness of the area, he is mindful to bring along his Rottweiler, Optimus Prime, for morning strolls.
Recently during their morning walk, Mike and Optimus Prime encountered a baby Bald Eagle in the middle of the road. As they rounded the curve, the eagle just hopped out of the way and into the woods instead of flying off. Seeing the bird was injured and knowing there were gators nearby prompted Mike to call the closest wildlife sanctuary.
The Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife soon sent Tina and Nick as their rescue team. They were quick to arrive and capture the young bald eagle. After getting the eagle back to the sanctuary and assessing her injuries, it was determined that she would go to the Busch Gardens facility for her treatment and then to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary for rehabilitation and flying practice. Once the eagle was deemed ready for release, the Owl’s Nest team brought her back to the area where she was found to be released.
