[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] July 11, 2011
[/av_textblock] [av_video src=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YafEmcyuaSA’ format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] Conservation Group Continues Efforts To Restore Eagles In Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains.
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn., July 14, 2011 — Two 13-week old Bald Eaglets named the ‘Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’ were released into the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains on Thursday, July 14, by the non-profit American Eagle Foundation (www.eagles.org) from an artificial nesting tower located on Douglas Lake in East Tennessee.
“This is not only another step in our efforts to bring back eagles to America’s lands, waterways and skies, but also a special opportunity to celebrate the marriage of William and Kate,” said AEF Founder & President Al Louis Cecere.
The young eagles, named by the AEF, were hatched from non-releasable parents earlier this spring at the AEF’s United States Eagle Center located at Dolly Parton’s Dollywood family adventure park.
Up to 6 other captive-hatched eaglets are also scheduled to be released into the wild by the conservation group this summer. One eaglet actually hatched on the day of the Royal Wedding.
To date, 331 captive-hatched and translocated Bald Eaglets have been released at 7 Tennessee hack sites since the early 1980s – with 106 eaglets released so far at the Douglas Lake location.
The eagle hacking program is operated by the AEF in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and its primary corporate sponsor, Dollywood. Founded in 1985, the non-profit AEF has become a non-governmental leader in eagle conservation over the past 25 years.
“Great Britain continues to be one of the USA’s staunchest allies,” said Cecere. “We are proud to acknowledge the strong bond that exists between our two nations.
Duke and Duchess will soon fly free.
The artificial nesting compartments, or hack tower, acclimates the Eaglets for a life in the wild.