“Loss in the wild is never easy to witness. It is a sobering reminder that nature, while beautiful, can also be unforgiving," said the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
Credit: Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
NEED TO KNOW
- A popular Florida bald eagle, nicknamed F23, is presumed dead nearly one week after going missing from her nest
- The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam announced the news following reports that a deceased eagle, which “most likely died from blunt force trauma due to a vehicle strike,” was found two miles away from F23’s nest
- F23’s mate, M15, has been “taking great care” of their baby eagle, E26, in the meantime and “providing food and protection”
Animal lovers fear that one of Florida's most famous bald eagles is dead.
On Wednesday, March 4, Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, which provided livestream access to the nest of wild bald eagles F23 and M15, posted on Facebook that its famous female bald eagle, F23, is likely dead after disappearing from her nest for several days.
F23 was last seen at her Florida nest, which she shared with her mate, M15, and their baby eagle, E26, at around 8 a.m. on Feb. 27, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam said in a post on Sunday, March 1.
In a follow-up, the operators of the eagle cam said they received "credible" reports that a deceased eagle was found less than two miles away from F23's nest, leading them to presume the bird is F23.
"This is a deeply sad day for our community. We were blessed to observe F23 for just two and a half seasons, but in that short time, her eagerness to learn, her devotion to M, and her care for her eaglets were unmistakable," Southwest Florida Eagle Cam said.
“She grew before our eyes, and so many of us felt connected to her journey,” the post continued. “Loss in the wild is never easy to witness. It is a sobering reminder that nature, while beautiful, can also be unforgiving.”
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam said there was no “definitive way” to confirm that the dead eagle found and reported to authorities was F23.
Credit: Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) told Southwest Florida Eagle Cam that “no evidence of foul play was observed” with the dead eagle, and that it “most likely died from blunt force trauma due to a vehicle strike.”
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam shared that bald eagles are often "drawn to roadways" due to roadkill, but because of their "size and slower lift-off speed," they can be "especially vulnerable to vehicle strikes."
In light of F23's disappearance, M15 has been "taking great care" of eaglet E26 and "providing food and protection" to the young bird, according to Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. They added, "Please give M15 space to deal with what he needs to do at this time."
Credit: Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
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This is possibly the second time that M15 has lost a mate, according to local outlet WFLA. His previous mate, Harriet, is assumed dead after disappearing from their nest years ago.
Tragedy struck M15 and F23 last season as well, when they lost two of their eaglettes — E24 and E25 — to avian influenza, per WFLA.
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