Zoo Update: Bald Eagle Arrives at Ararat Ridge Zoo

Through a rigorous application process, the Ararat Ridge Zoo at the Ark Encounter received special permits through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife to display this beautiful bald eagle for educational purposes.

Here’s what our zoo staff shared with me:

• Bald eagles are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940. They can only be kept under human care if they are deemed non-releasable by the USFWS. General Boone comes to us from the Letcher County Extension Office in Kentucky.
• General Boone is a rescue, and although he was rehabilitated, his injury prevents him from flying, so he cannot be returned to the wild.
• The zoo staff are thrilled to provide him with a safe and comfortable home at the Ark Encounter. He will be an excellent ambassador for his wild counterparts by teaching guests about godly stewardship.

He will be an excellent ambassador for his wild counterparts by teaching guests about godly stewardship.

Bald eagles represent a conservation success! Although they are the national symbol of the United States, poaching, accidents, and environmental issues reduced their population to just 400 breeding pairs in the lower 48 states by the 1950s. They were declared endangered by the USFWS in 1978. Thankfully, conservationists worked hard to spread awareness and increase their protections. Their populations slowly recovered, and bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2007.

We are excited to display General Boone at our zoo to teach guests how to wisely steward God’s creation.

Although bald eagles are no longer endangered, they are still affected by human activity in our fallen world. Their primary threat is lead poisoning from scavenging carcasses with lead bullets in them. They are also threatened by habitat loss and collisions or entanglement with manmade objects.

We hope General Boone will inspire our visitors to protect bald eagles by avoiding lead bullets when hunting, preserving their habitats, and considering their safety during outdoor activities.

Seeing eagles like General Boone always reminds me of scriptures like these:

Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? On the rock he dwells and makes his home, on the rocky crag and stronghold. From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away. (Job 39:27–29)

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Come and meet General Boone at your next visit to the Ark Encounter!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.