Wildlife officials care for bald eagle rescued illegally

After seeing an eagle in distress, Joe Moosenose of Whati, N.W.T., says he just couldn't leave it behind.

"If you go hunting and your buddy is injured you gotta take him back, you have to take care of him, same with the bald eagle," said Moosenose.

What he didn't know was that by removing a bird of prey from the wild without a permit, and keeping it captive, he was violating the NWT Wildlife Act.

Instead of charging him, however, officials from the the department of Environment and Natural Resources are honouring Moosenose's original intentions and taking over the bird's care.

Flapping its right wing

Moosenose came across the bird while boating back to his home in Whati after spending the day drying fish.

He initially told his spouse they should call the health station when they got back to their community, but when he got closer he noticed that the bird was flapping its right wing around and was unable to fly.

"I didn't feel good about it," said Moosenose.

Moosenose chased the bird, put a blanket over it and brought it back to his home.

Once in his shed, Moosenose fed the bird some of the fish he had just caught and was happy that the bird seemed to have an appetite.

The bird remained with its head lowered and appeared to be in a lot of pain.

Moosenose began making phone calls to try to get the bird help.

'No ill intent'

When he was put into contact with an official from Environment of Natural Resources, he was told he shouldrelease the bird.

He was also told the law is in place to protect humans as well as animals, because people can get hurt while taking in an animal withsharp talons and a beak, who may be carrying diseases.

But Moosenose persisted, and on Friday the bird was brought to Yellowknife where it's being held in a government enclosure and being assessed by a veterinarian.

AdrianLizotte, a renewable resourceoperator,said caring for the birdwas a way to keep everyone happy.

Asked why Moosenose wasn't being charged, Lizotte said, "there was no ill intent on his part, he wasn't deliberatelytaking it captive so the charge would have been harsh."

But Lizottestresses that people who come across injured animals should leave them on the land, and report it to ENR.