The eagle’s story began the day he was found on the side of an Arizona highway in late February. No matter how much he flapped and struggled, he couldn’t get back into the air. The eagle clearly needed help, so he came to our Sanctuary, where our veterinarians and rehab team at @bfas_wildlife, Best Friends’ state and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, quickly got to work. At first, they thought he might have been hit by a car, but it turns out he had lead poisoning which caused gastrointestinal stasis; food couldn’t pass through his system. First, veterinarians performed crop surgery to clear out the food. After a second surgery he was placed in intensive care so the rehab team could keep a close eye on him. As soon as he recovered from the surgeries, it was time to build up his flight muscles since they had atrophied from lack of use. The Wild Friends team put him in a large flight with plenty of perches so he could stretch his wings and practice his clumsy landings and awkward takeoffs. When he started flying back and forth with ease, they knew he was ✨ ready to go home ✨ The Wild Friends team and the Arizona Game and Fish Department chose Gunsight Point at the @grandcanyonnps, not far from where his story began. The moment the carrier was unzipped, the eagle gracefully took off, free once again to go wherever his wings could take him. 🥰 #NationalSaveTheEaglesDay