He wonB次元官网网址檛 be able to soar into the skies or skim the waters with his wings, but a bald eagle treated at a veterinary college at the University of Prince Edward Island after being hit by a car in October 2021 is doing well and settling in a new home.

Bald eagle 450 B次元官网网址� the 450th patient of the Atlantic Veterinary College hospital in 2021 B次元官网网址� is believed to be only the second bird in the world to receive surgery for a spinal cord compression.

B次元官网网址淚t was maybe done on a penguin like 20 years ago, but there were no real papers on it,B次元官网网址� wildlife technician Fiep de Bie said in a recent interview, adding that the procedure is B次元官网网址渟ometimesB次元官网网址� done on cats or dogs.

B次元官网网址淭hat was very exciting. A week after the surgery, the eagle was able to stand, so we knew that we were going in the right direction,B次元官网网址� de Bie said.

When 450 was brought into the clinic, he had extensive head injuries and small cuts and bruises on his legs, she said. B次元官网网址淗e had a lot of blood on his head and all his feathers on his head were gone.B次元官网网址�

A week after he was admitted, she said staff noticed the eagle wasnB次元官网网址檛 able to stand.

B次元官网网址淲e thought, B次元官网网址榃hatB次元官网网址檚 going on?B次元官网网址� We took X-rays and we noticed that there was an issue with the spine, but we couldnB次元官网网址檛 see precisely what it was. We did a CT scan.B次元官网网址�

The CT scan confirmed a spinal fracture, de Bie said. B次元官网网址淚t also showed a spinal cord compression. The nerves are sort of pinched. That caused paralysis.B次元官网网址�

And while the spinal surgery was a success, she said it was the secondary injuries that were particularly troubling. The bird, she said, had a long recovery ahead.

The eagle would stand and lean on its wrists, which caused injury because the skin in that area is delicate, de Bie said. It also had some wounds on its feet and wasnB次元官网网址檛 able to perch, she added.

B次元官网网址淲e considered euthanasia a couple of times,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e thought, B次元官网网址榃ell, are we going to heal all of this? Is it going to happen?B次元官网网址� But this eagle showed so much determination and improvement every time that we were so encouraged that we kept on going B次元官网网址�. He went outside, he started perching, his feet were healing, so from there, there was no looking back. It was quite special.B次元官网网址�

De Bie said eagle 450 has B次元官网网址渜uite the personalityB次元官网网址� and described him as a B次元官网网址渢alker.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 really donB次元官网网址檛 know what it means,B次元官网网址� she said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 come across as stressful or something. ItB次元官网网址檚 more like, acknowledging you. ItB次元官网网址檚 kind of nice to hear. Like, B次元官网网址極h, hello.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

He is partial to quail and his favourite toy was a bright, bubble gum pink kiddie pool that he liked to dip and clean his beak in, she said.

As the birdB次元官网网址檚 health improved, she said staff began to look for a home.

The damage in the wrist bone was B次元官网网址渢oo severeB次元官网网址� for the bird to fly long distances, she said. The bird is about six years old, and staff are not yet sure of its sex. The lifespan of a bald eagle is about 30 years.

B次元官网网址淲e thought thatB次元官网网址檚 a death sentence for this animal.B次元官网网址�

They turned to Hope for Wildlife in Seaforth, N.S., which rescues, rehabilitates and releases wild animals, and also educates people about them. Hope Swinimer, founder of the centre, said she is excited about the new arrival. They plan on calling him B次元官网网址淏uddy,B次元官网网址� she said, a name that came through stories about him in the media.

B次元官网网址淚 always call animals, B次元官网网址楬ey, buddy,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� de Bie said. B次元官网网址淯sually I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 talk to wildlife at all because we want them to be released. But sometimes, I just say B次元官网网址榖uddy,B次元官网网址� and I think one of the reporters picked up on that. And then it became Buddy.B次元官网网址�

The bird will be driven in Friday from P.E.I. to Halifax and take up residence in a 15-metre-long, three-metre-high enclosure built for him that boasts an ocean view to one side and a wooded area on another.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檒l get lots of fresh air, heB次元官网网址檚 got a beautiful view, heB次元官网网址檒l get lots of stimulation,B次元官网网址� Swinimer said.

Staff have also put in logs left behind by post-tropical storm Fiona, as perches for the bird, she said. B次元官网网址淥f course, weB次元官网网址檙e worried because weB次元官网网址檙e hoping heB次元官网网址檒l settle in and be comfortable.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淢y biggest fear is that he might be very nervous. WeB次元官网网址檒l reassess if that happens,B次元官网网址� Swinimer said. B次元官网网址淲e want all of our education animals to have a good life with us. IB次元官网网址檓 really hoping that with a little bit of time and patience, on both our parts, that heB次元官网网址檒l settle in quite nicely.B次元官网网址�

But de Bie is not worried.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 lucky,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 quite the super trooper.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擧ina Alam, The Canadian Press