Norfolk eaglet on mend after chip fracture found .

Norfolk eaglet on mend after chip fracture found .




Credit: Wildlife Center of Virginia
The arrow points to the small chip fracture in the eaglet's left leg.


Updated Wednesday, Jun 1 at 8:51 AM
Related:
•Live EagleCam expected to be back up Tuesday afternoon..


WAYNESBORO, NC -- A Norfolk eaglet is on the mend after veterinarians found a chip fracture to her left leg.

The injury was discovered Tuesday during their check-up at The Wildlife Center of Virginia, where they’ve been since the death of their mother in mid-April.

The eagle, NZ, was holding her left foot up and when center workers went to get her, she tried to hop away without putting weight on her leg, officials said.

Radiographs confirmed the injury on the inside of her left leg, right above her band. Officials say the injury is considered “fairly minor.”

Vets believe NZ ran into something Tuesday morning because the fracture is typically caused by a blunt force rather than becoming entangled or from interaction with a sibling.

NZ is being kept in a separate enclosure through the week to keep her quiet so healing can begin.

Vets gave NZ anti-inflammatory medication and pain medication. They say her leg won’t need a cast or bandages.

Once additional radiographs confirm that her fracture is well calloused, she will return back to the pen with her siblings, officials stressed.

You can watch the eaglets as they grow up at the Wildlife Center of Virginia with the WVEC.com EagleCam.

On Wednesday, contractors were beginning to build the flight pen the three eaglets will eventually use.



Kjellstrom & Lee workers are donating their time, center officials said.

The eaglets were moved out of Eaglecam view Tuesday because material for the build was arriving and there would be lots of activity and noise around their pen.

NBG Eaglets, Monday June 6
The Kjellstrom & Lee work crew finished up the flight pen renovation on Saturday evening — special thanks to them giving up their Saturdays to get the job done!

With construction finished, a number of perches were set up for the eaglets as they start to make short flights out of their nest area. A couple of other final modifications are underway this Monday afternoon, including a final sweep of the area with a large magnet to make sure all stray nails are picked up after the renovation. Netting will also be hung at the far end of the flight pen — something that the WCV does for all eagle patients in these larger enclosures. The netting helps slow down any fast-flying eagles if they over-shoot their perch at the end of the enclosure.

In other news, the veterinary team took another set of radiographs on NZ’s leg today. At this point, the site of injury is unchanged — meaning that a callous has not formed yet over the small chip fracture. According to Dr. Miranda, a fibrous callous may be forming — but this wouldn’t be seen on the radiographs. What all this means is that NZ will need to continue her cage rest. Additional radiographs are scheduled for Monday June 13.

As long as all final flight pen preparations are finished today, NX and NV will be returned to their nest — and the newly renovated 100′ flight pen — on Tuesday. Please stay tuned for more details.