A bald eagle named Challenger is retiring from life in the limelight. For years, the 34-year-old bald eagle soared above the stadiums at numerous events. Challenger was the first bald eagle in America to be taught how to free fly in major sports stadiums, arenas, and ballrooms. Challenger’s unusual job came about after he was rescued.
In 1989, Challenger was just an eaglet when he fell out of his nest during a storm. Some well-meaning people rescued him, hand-fed him, and looked after him for around three weeks, but during that time he became imprinted on humans and now thinks of himself as the same species as them.
He went to the Audubon Zoo, which did some rehabilitation and released him into the wild. But over the span of a summer, Challenger was found three times begging for food from people. That’s when the American Eagle Foundation stepped in. The non-profit in Tennessee took Challenger in and he became an educational ambassador. The group works on educating the public about birds of prey. He learned how to free-fly with the foundation.
This amazing eagle has now retired due to his age and cataracts in his eyes that make it hard for him to see. Take a look at some of Challenger’s free-flying adventures over stadiums and what he does now in his retirement (hint: it includes playing with his stuffed toys).
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