‘Majestic’ eagle had ‘slim’ chance of survival after injury. Now she’s healed
A bald eagle found with “her leg torn open from knee to ankle” had a “slim” chance of survival — until a Wisconsin animal hospital tried a unique technique.
Now, Kere has been released and is getting a second chance at life in the wild less than a year after she was taken to Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital for treatment, the hospital said in a June 27 news release.
She was found in a park in Hayward in September with a “devastating 360-degree wound” and no healthy skin to help repair it, the hospital said. So, the hospital’s founder, Kim Ammann, looked to the “majestic” bald eagle’s prey — fish — for help.
“With no traditional options left, she turned to innovative alternatives and discovered an Icelandic company called Kerecis that uses intact fish skin from sustainably sourced North Atlantic Cod to support tissue regeneration,” officials said.
The practice was originally created for human medical use and had never been attempted on a bald eagle, officials said. However, the experiment with Kere was a success.
“The cod skin grafts did what no other treatment could. Over the course of 10 months, they helped regenerate Kere’s tissue and fight off infection, offering a remarkable new lifeline to a bird who represents resilience and liberty,” the hospital said.
In addition to the innovative treatment, Kere cooperated with her caregivers, which allowed her to heal quickly.
“The trust she put in me made it possible to accomplish what we did,” Ammann said in a statement. “She tolerated bandage changes every few days for months. Those were done with her awake and watching me. She left the wraps and dressings alone as they were healing her wound. She was eating well and taking necessary medications the whole time.”
Video from her June 22 release shows Kere soar from a cage as her rehabilitators watch her confidently go back into the wild.
Hayward is about a 350-mile drive northwest from Milwaukee.
