Detroit Zoo: Injured bald eagle ‘settling in’
Rescued Captain Marvel won’t fly, but has new home
Andrea Perez Balderrama
The Detroit Zoo has given sanctuary to an injured bald eagle, and her story is a truly American tale of resilience.
The 4-year-old female bald eagle — whose name is now Captain Marvel — was found injured in a Wendy’s parking lot near Monroe in October 2019. According to a news release, a Michigan resident alleges they saw the eagle collide with a train.
After she was seen by Detroit Zoo veterinarians, it was determined she would never fly again because of a severe wing injury.
“We’re happy that we’re able to offer her a home here at the Detroit Zoo,” said Scott Carter, chief life sciences officer for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS). “We’re glad to report that she is settling in very well.”
Captain Marvel joined two other rescue eagles from Indiana and Alaska in their Detroit Zoo habitat, and she is the second biggest eagle now living there.
“Female bald eagles tend to display more assertive behaviors, so she could end up being in charge in the eagles’ habitat,” said Carter.
The DZS has a long history of rescuing wildlife, and frequently provides sanctuary to wild or exotic animals who are injured, abandoned, surrendered or confiscated, according to a news release.
Detroit Zoo visitors can identify Captain Marvel as the one with the brightest beak and the most brown feathers on her head. Her head is expected to turn completely white in the next year or two as she reaches adulthood.