Near a rushing river in Nova Scotia, Canada, a group of eagles recently took off, soaring into the sky. But one eagle, perhaps feeling tired or perhaps just waiting a bit longer, didn’t leave with her friends. All of the sudden, a wave hit this eagle, and the rising tide pulled her into the dangerous brown waters.
Luckily, members of a local river rafting tour group saw this happen. The animal lovers rushed over in their boat, ready to help.
The rafters felt heartbroken for the bird as they watched her flapping through the water, losing energy with each passing minute.
They corralled the bird and pulled her to safety.
“I had my hand on her chest,” river guide Emmett Blois said in a video for The Dodo. “Her heart was just pounding.”
Blois cradled the bird and held her close as they continued their journey back to land. Eventually, he felt her heart rate begin to slow.
“I was hanging out with her for about an hour,” Blois said. “She was actually surprisingly calm.”
Blois was struck by the bird’s powerful talons, strong jaw and bright eyes.
“The most beautiful eyes you’ve ever seen,” Blois said. “Probably spent a good part of the trip home just staring into her eyes.”
Rescuers brought the eagle to experts at Hope for Wildlife, a rehabilitation organization. Hope for Wildlife staff x-rayed the bird and found that she’d sustained ligament damage. They gave her a safe place to rest while she recovered, supplying her with plenty of snacks in the meantime.
“She didn’t waste any time scarfing down the fish,” Blois said.
Guy Saves Bald Eagle From Drowning In RiverThis guy saved this eagle from drowning and hugged her until she could fly again ❤️ Revisit the rescue on Instagram: thedo.do/emmettblois and thedo.do/riverwranglers. And thanks to Hope For Wildlife for helping take care of Nova, check them out on Instagram: thedo.do/Hopeforwildlife.
Posted by The Dodo on Thursday, November 14, 2024
Once strong enough, the eagle returned to her home in the sky. Before the release, Blois excitedly anticipated the bird’s departure, feeling grateful to have met her and even more grateful that she’d be back where she belonged.
“When we release her, we’ll be happy,” Blois said. “We’ll know that she’ll be out there.”