Lead Toxicosis In Golden Eagles: The Story of Goea 11/1/24

This Earth Day, we celebrate resilience, recovery, and second chances—like that of Golden Eagle 11.1.24, one of our most remarkable patients for the year.

Found in Twin Falls, Idaho, the eagle arrived at Teton Raptor Center severely ataxic, unable to stand or open its talons. A lead test showed blood levels exceeding our diagnostic limits (65 ug/dL — micrograms/deciliter); a diluted test confirmed a staggering 161.5 ug/dL—the highest lead level recorded for a Golden Eagle at TRC.

After 92 days of care—including chelation therapy (a treatment that uses specific drugs to remove toxic heavy metals from the body) and physical rehab—its lead level dropped to 13.3 ug/dL. By January, it was in flight conditioning and released on February 1st with a level of 6.4 ug/dL. A GPS transmitter now helps us monitor its progress in the wild.

Golden Eagles in the West are declining. While persecution remains the leading cause of adult mortality, lead poisoning, collisions, and other threats take a toll. Because eagles reproduce slowly and face high juvenile mortality, every successful rehab can help counter population losses.

Rehabilitation is about more than saving one life. It’s part of a broader commitment to biodiversity, ecosystem health, and our shared planet. Thank you for making this work possible. Every eagle, every effort, every Earth Day — it all matters.