TRAGEDY at Norfolk Botanical Garden's eagle cam

[welsummerchicks]

"It doesn't mean the father couldn't take care of the babies"

Yes it does, actually. As they get bigger it would be impossible for one parent to feed 3 chicks - often one starves to death even with TWO parents feeding them.

I'm absolutely and completely sure the experts made the best decision.

Usually both parents are run absolutely ragged trying to feed the chicks as they get bigger. ESPECIALLY with three.

 

[EweSheep]

If the father could not take care of the chicks, either we can step in or help him by providing extra fish daily to help the "burden" of hunting his family. After all, in the wild, they do survive. I don't like it when we step in too early but sometimes the weak chick was weak to begin with or something was wrong with it. Just like we do our own chicks.

I would say let the father take care of the chicks while humans can monitor it closely. If we can, remove one or two chicks so the father can care for it more effectively.

So much we can help!

 

[schellie69]

I get mad sometimes what did this animals ever do without humans stepping in I mean its not like they had to have humans help them. I think they should have waited to see how it went and maybe even helped by bringing some fish. Or take one if it got weak but at least let the poor dad have a chance. I know there are Birds that do this all the time and I am sure that there are times one parent dies and the other takes over. I just think as humans we step in to soon and don't let nature take care of itself. sorry of my soap box now.

 

[birdygirl123]

My question so far has gone unanswered.

I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers here. They have been watching this pair for years.. Where there is a will there is a way, and I agree they could have done a number of things.

I have a 2 and 3 year old, We had a mountain lion come in and kill our emu 75 foot from our back door. She was much larger then either of my kids.. Granted this house has set empty from 8 months or so, so I give the cat a night of walking around checking us out, but ... to come back in and clear a 6 foot wall.. enough is enough.. I guess my point is.. is when I called for help.. I was greated with "we are so sorry, but there is nothing we can do, if you see it shoot it".. Okay, will do,.. but how often are the cats seen.. until its too late???..

There are times to intervene, and times to let mother nature take its course.. IMO..

They have a huge fund set up too.. the air line has made a huge donation ect.. To me, it comes off more of a PR thing.. IDK.. maybe I'm wrong, but for some reason.. this just really bothers me...

 

[PineappleMama]

Red that's a good point. If they'd let nature take it's course then they'd be tagged as cruel/not caring and so on. And who knows how that might effect their efforts at conservation/education in the future.

Also think Schellie69 had a great idea. There are some animals that will mourn, even die, when their mate (or children) die... this would have been a wonderful opportunity to see if that sort of thing happens with eagles. Not an experiment anyone can set up without being a bugger, but since nature took this path we could have used it to educate ourselves. And having that information it might make it easier to make the call later. If the Dad went on fine, ate, slept, lived and took a new mate happily ever after then concerns like mine would be a totally moot point. On tape, proven. If I knew for a fact that Dad would be fine I'd have no problem whatsoever with what they did in this case. But if it turned out that taking those babies caused the father to shrivel up and die, taking any chance of more chicks with him... AND his babies were sheltered and not taught by parents so their survival rate is dropped too... well then I'd stand by what I said this time around. But either way we would KNOW the consequences of the choice, and therefor be able to make the 'best' one all around.

Think I'll see if I can't mention that on their facebook or something... maybe they'll consider turning it back on??

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
I understand your point yes that cat is a threat to your family, I would not hesitate to do something. Now if you don't want shot the cat, maybe do what they use on bears that come into town dogs and bean bag bullets scare the you know what out of the cat. If that does not work then shooting the cat maybe the only way.

On the Eagles I say leave the babies with dad and see what nature does he may have been fine or maybe they would have had to help one. With the cam up there they would have known in a hurry if something was wrong. I feel that as human we choose to play God to many times. I would have rather watched and seen what the dad did. That poor Eagle has nothing and may never return we do not know they did not find out what nature would have happened. JIMO

 

[SilverPhoenix]

As a rehabber myself, I think they likely made the right decision to interfere. It's unfortunate for the father, it really is, but there are multiple issues with only one parent caring for the chicks and I don't think it's likely they'd survive. Rehabbers like to leave young animals with their parents whenever possible, even including (in the case of a nest falling down) creating nests and having tree climbers secure the nest in a tree near where the original nest was, but in this circumstance it sounds like they just had to step in for the sake of the eaglets. What a sad story for the family of eagles. I hope the eaglets all thrive and make it to release and beyond!