Alaskan eagles headed
to Swan Valley facility

September 2, 1999
Seeley Swan Pathfinder
Seeley Lake, Montana

Grounded Eagle Foundation (GEF) of Condon has been selected to receive injured bald eagles from Alaska. The flight conditioning structure at Alaska Raptor Rehabilitation Center (ARRC) in Sitka collapsed during a late winter storm this year and during the reconstruction process injured eagles will be sent to GEF for pre-release conditioning. The eagles will be airlifted to Montana free by Alaska Airlines, and be returned to Alaska for release. The first shipment of seven eagles is due to arrive about Labor Day.

GEF was selected from among all the larger centers in the "Lower 48" due to available space, and experience with rehabilitating injured eagles. GEF usually rehabilitates more injured eagles than any other facility in North America, with 29 admitted during the first five months of 1999. Approximately 200 injured eagles have been returned to the wild during this decade following rehabilitation in Condon; consistently over 70% of the injured eagles admitted for care are returned to the wild.

GEF regularly receives injured eagles from throughout Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico, and other western states. GEF has received birds from as far away as Virginia for pre-release flight conditioning in one of the largest facilities on the planet.

"We have the expertise, the facility, the food supply and resources, and this is why we exist," said Ken Wolff, GEF founder.