An injured bald eagle got some help from kindhearted police officers in Apex, North Carolina, on Saturday.
When the department got a call about the majestic bird being in distress, officers identified as Lamb, Elfberg, Murphy, Moore, and Kalinowski arrived at the scene to assess what could be done for the animal, the Apex Police Department wrote in a social media post.
The officers then called in Holly Springs Police North Carolina’s animal control officer Luke Howard, who is seen in photos holding the rescued bald eagle, which had suffered a badly damaged wing:
This afternoon, members of Patrol received a call for a bald eagle in distress. Upon arriving at the scene, Officers…
Posted by Apex Police Department on Saturday, March 1, 2025
Howard then took the creature to a local bird sanctuary to undergo a more in-depth evaluation.
In a video shared in the comments of the agency’s post, Howard said the birds do run into things sometimes but they have excellent eyesight. He also looked closely at the bird’s wing and said it was treatable.
Social media users shared their thoughts on the rescue, one person writing, “I needed to hear a ‘feel good’ story today! Bravo gentlemen.”
“Great team work! So happy you all saved such an American beauty!” another user replied.
In April, several California agencies and wildlife experts joined forces to rescue a bald eagle eaglet after the small creature had fallen out of its nest, Breitbart News reported.
The bald eagle became the national bird of the United States in 1782 and its image is a familiar sight, per the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Bald eagles, like other eagles worldwide, had been seen by many as symbols of strength, courage, freedom and immortality for generations. And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle was indigenous only to North America,” the department said.
Although the bald eagle is protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, the birds’ population has declined due to reasons that include being killed or captured.
In a statement to the Audubon Society during his time in office, President John F. Kennedy spoke of the bald eagle: “The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America,” he said. “But as latter-day citizens we shall fail our trust if we permit the eagle to disappear.”
