CROW removes fishing gear from island eagle nest
Fishing line and a hook were recently removed from an occupied eagle’s nest on Captiva.
On Jan. 13, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Sanibel reported that it became aware the items had ended up in the nest of Connie and Clive — and their eaglet, named CE14.
“This debris could pose a serious threat to the eaglet, leading to entanglement and injury,” it shared. “You may remember that we removed a large bundle of twine last year from this same nest.”
CROW obtained the permissions from the regulating governmental agencies to access the nest, and Research & Medical Director Dr. Jessica Comolli safely removed the line and hook with the assistance of Joshua Tree. It added that the Window to Wildlife team was also instrumental during the removal.
“They helped direct Dr. Comolli to the fishing line when she was unable to spot it,” CROW shared.
It reported that while its team generally refrains from intervening in wildlife’s natural habitats, it viewed this situation as an exception due to the clear and present danger to CE14.
CROW also reminded the public of the importance of properly disposing of fishing tackle and line.
“What may seem like harmless trash can have devastating consequences for creatures in our ecosystems,” it shared. “Every small action can make a big difference in protecting our wildlife.”
The public is always asked to:
– Properly dispose of fishing lines and hooks.
– Retrieve lost tackle whenever possible.
– Be aware of wildlife around fishing spots.
Mind Your Line offers monofilament recycling stations on Sanibel and Captiva and the causeway.
For the locations or more information, visit https://mindyourline.org/.
“A huge thank you to Joshua Tree Inc. for helping make this retrieval possible, and to everyone who supports CROW in our mission to protect wildlife,” CROW shared.
The public can monitor the nest at https://www.facebook.com/Window2Wildlife.
For more information about CROW or to donate to its mission, visit https://crowclinic.org/.