(Photo of Maverick the eagle. By Henry Moore Jr., College of Veterinary Medicine)
PULLMAN – WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine will release a 2 year-old bald eagle back to the wild in the Asotin Creek drainage Thursday May 8.
The release group will rendezvous at approximately 9:30 a.m. near the turnoff of Asotin Creek Road and Hwy 129. The public is invited to attend the release.
“Maverick” came to WSU’s veterinary college almost a year ago after being found unable to fly near Winthrop, Wash. The bird had many missing and broken flight and tail feathers but otherwise was healthy.
WSU’s veterinary college has done little for the eagle other than to provide secure housing until he could molt again to bring in new feathers.
Maverick spent his year in a large, protected enclosure, called a mews, that was open to the air outside. The mews provided him with a place to regrow feathers safely as well as kept him acclimated to the outdoor temperatures.
Maverick was housed in the university’s recently refurbished turkey facility. Poultry production programs were discontinued at WSU many years ago and the building was mostly idle until private donations brought it new ife.
Generous donations from Potlatch Corporation and the Kinsman Foundation in 2007 provided much needed funds for the facility upgrades.
