New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“This morning we admitted the Eagle colloquially known as “MK” to our Cape hospital. She was found in a cemetery in Arlington down on the ground, weak and unable to get significant lift off the ground after many attempts to fly away.
Our veterinary team is currently working to stabilize her, but she remains in critical condition. She is severely anemic, lethargic, and barley able to stand. She also has a significantly delayed blood clotting time. Lab work and physical exam lead us to strongly suspect anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning as the primary cause of her condition. This occurs when a raptor eats a rodent that has already ingested the poison. Thankfully initial radiographs showed there are no broken bones and there is no evidence she is carrying eggs.
Right now our team is focused on getting her through the first 24 hours. We have started treatments to help counteract the clotting effects the poison causes as well as fluids, pain meds, and oxygen support. Our veterinary team will be by her side and monitoring her closely as we try to get her through this.
MK’s journey has been well documented. She was hatched in Waltham back in 2016 and she and her mate “KZ” have attracted scores of fans as they have frequented the mystic River watershed. This pair is considered a true ecological success story here in Massachusetts and a testament to how far the Mystic River and its habitats have come over the past few decades. They even had a children’s book written about them!
We will do our best to help get “MK” back to “KZ” so that they can continue their linage and legacy here in Boston. Thank you all for your support and we will provide updates when we can along the way ?”-New England Wildlife Center.
All photos by the New England Wildlife Center:
