In a moving tale of resiliency, the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) has released a crowned eagle that was rescued in December.

The majestic eagle gracefully took to the skies on February 7, following a brief but crucial stint at the rehabilitation centre.

The rescue mission was prompted by distress calls from concerned individuals in Westville, KZN, rallying Crow into action.

Clint Halkett-Siddall, Crow’s operations director, says: “The crowned eagle was ready to be released based on the bird’s strength in flight and height of flight, and we had to make sure it was landing without any issues.”

Before being rehabilitated, the eagle had a concussion, favoured its right leg and struggled with maintaining a healthy weight.

“We administered anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. We needed to give it time to recover in a quiet area and exercise in the flight aviary,” explains Halkett-Siddall.

Through a dedicated regimen of care and rehabilitation, the crowned eagle has been granted a new lease on life, poised to thrive once more in its natural habitat.