Kodak, TN (Friday, Aug. 21, 2026)—After 35 years of advancing bald eagle conservation and education, the American Eagle Foundation and Dollywood Parks & Resorts today announced the next chapter of their longstanding partnership.

The non-releasable bald eagles previously housed at Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood will make their permanent home at the American Eagle Foundation’s 50-acre educational and conservation campus in Kodak, Tennessee. The bald eagles have been cared for at the campus since the sanctuary was damaged in a storm earlier this year.

The move provides an opportunity for the American Eagle Foundation to bring more of its bald eagle care, conservation and educational work together at its growing Kodak campus while continuing its longstanding partnership and educational presence at Dollywood.

Since the partnership between the American Eagle Foundation and Dollywood began in 1991, the two organizations have helped introduce millions of Dollywood guests to America’s national symbol and to the importance of protecting bald eagles and other birds of prey. During that time, American Eagle Foundation has successfully released more than 400 bald eagles into the wild, contributing to one of America’s great wildlife conservation success stories.

“Eagle Mountain Sanctuary has played an extraordinary role in our history and in helping generations of people understand and appreciate these magnificent birds,” said Lori Moore, Chief Executive Officer of American Eagle Foundation. “As we look to the future, our Kodak campus gives us an exciting opportunity to build upon that legacy, expand our conservation and educational work, and provide an outstanding permanent home for the bald eagles in our care. We are tremendously grateful for Dollywood’s partnership over the past 35 years and are excited about what we can continue to accomplish together.”

American Eagle Foundation will continue to have a meaningful presence at Dollywood through its popular Birds of Prey program at the Wings of America Theater, where guests can experience bald eagles and other raptors while learning about conservation and the important role these birds play in our natural environment.

“For 35 years, our partnership with the American Eagle Foundation has allowed millions of Dollywood guests to learn about and appreciate the bald eagle and other birds of prey,” said Eugene Naughton, Dollywood Parks & Resorts President. “We’re incredibly proud of what this partnership has accomplished. We look forward to continuing our work together, and we plan to continue inspiring our guests to care for these remarkable birds and the natural world around us.”

American Eagle Foundation opened its current Kodak headquarters and educational campus in 2023 and continues to plan for its future development. The campus provides the American Eagle Foundation with expanded opportunities to advance its mission of education, conservation and protection of bald eagles and other birds of prey.

The transition marks both a celebration of Eagle Mountain Sanctuary’s remarkable legacy and the beginning of a new chapter in the partnership between the American Eagle Foundation and Dollywood—one focused on continuing conservation, education and stewardship for generations to come.

For more information about the American Eagle Foundation, please visit eagles.org.

-###-

About American Eagle Foundation:
● American Eagle Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to the education, conservation and protection of our Nation’s living symbol, the bald eagle and other birds prey.
● Mission: Through immersive and educational experiences, we inspire guardians to engage in conservation, education and protection, for the sustainable future of bald eagles, birds of prey and their environment.
● American Eagle Foundation received the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Conservation Award on May 1, 2007 at a special ceremony in Atlanta. The federal agency recognized the not-for-profit organization’s 22 years of work to help recover America’s Bald Eagle population in the lower 48 states – especially in the Southeast.
● The bald eagle was officially removed from the list of endangered and threatened species on June 28, 2007, marking a monumental milestone for wildlife conservation.

American Eagle Foundation Media Contact:
Lori Moore: Chief Executive Officer of American Eagle Foundation, (865) 548-8001 or lori@eagles.org

About Dollywood Parks & Resorts: A highly awarded and widely recognized leader in the amusement industry, Dollywood Parks & Resorts consists of the 165-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and two award-winning resort properties: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on May 3, 1986, and earned the theme park industry’s highest accolade, the Applause Award, in 2010. Dollywood has earned 67 Golden Ticket Awards and 28 Brass Ring Awards for live entertainment. In 2022, 2024 and 2025, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has been recognized as a top U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides, attractions, shows and crafters inspired by and authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and Tripadvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to mid-September. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort provide guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly
amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. For more information, visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Dollywood Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or powens@dollywood.com
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Director, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or wramey@dollywood.com
Ellen Liston: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or eliston@dollywood.com
Jennifer Webb: Sr. Publicist, (865) 428-9602, (865) 323-7584 or jwebb@dollywood.com
Sophia Nieves: Publicist, (865) 428-9456, (256) 631-5413 or sophia.nieves@dollywood.com
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Roo