KANSAS CITY – A bald eagle that called the Sedgewick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, home for nearly a decade has been euthanized.
The female bald eagle named Mariposa was euthanized on Friday after a sudden decline in her health and well-being, at the age of 35.
Mariposa was part of the US Bald Eagle Recovery Program which helped ensure the survival of wild chicks due to the harms of DDT.
However, she was unable to be released back into the wild and was instead transferred to the San Francisco Zoo, where she lived with her mate for 26 years before they both moved to Sedgwick County Zoo in 2016.
The Sedgewick County Zoo says Mariposa, also referred to as her keepers as Honey or Sweet Lady, lived life with a sassy and independent spirit.
“She never shied away from using her voice, greeting her keepers and guests every morning with loud cackles. She was a wonderful ambassador for her species and touched many lives. She will be greatly missed.”
Meantime, in Missouri, a pair of nesting bald eagles in Blue Springs can now be watched live in Missouri's first eagle nest cam.
The live feed allows people to experience a seldom-seen part of a bald eagle’s life cycle in real-time, says the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Bald eagles are a protected species in the United States. The specific location of this nest will not be disclosed to ensure the safety of the pair and their young. Members of the public should not seek out the nest or bother the birds in any way.