Despite being a national icon in the USA, the bald eagle knows no borders. This regal bird lives year round in many parts of Canada, on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as along the Great Lakes region on both sides of the border.
The bald eagle was removed from the Endangered Species list in 2007, thanks to increasing populations. Forty years earlier, this national symbol was on the verge of extinction due to illegal hunting and the effects of the pesticide, DDT. Once DDT was banned from use and awareness was raised about their plight, the bald eagle was able to bounce back.
Bald eagles live near the water; they make their homes near the rivers, lakes, and marshes where they can find the fish they eat. While these birds are adept at swooping low over the water to snatch their prey in their razor sharp talons, they cannot swim. In fact, if they get too wet, they can even drown. Once their wings are saturated, they will not be able to get out of the water. This is a pretty dangerous scenario for the bald eagle.
In this video, a pair of fishermen from British Columbia, Canada knew just what to do when encountering a soaking wet bad eagle. The bird, snagged on a fishing line, was in dire straits but these two outdoorsman knew how to get him free and safely airborne again.
Featured Image from Dane Deaner/Unsplash
