Leuc, a Bald Eagle Hero

Meet Leuc. He may be one of the most storied Bald Eagles in all of the World.

Leuc is a permanent resident of the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. He was brought into the center in 1989, the result of his collision with a car. Leuc had a severly damaged right wing and a broken shoulder socket. Numerour surgeries over many months repaired Leuc's wing well enough where he could live a pain free life but he would never fly again. He can extend his wings however and, when he does, it is a sight to behold. At that point, the Raptor Center dedicated Leuc to its educational extension program and he immediately became a favorite of all the visitors at the center.

You might have seen this frien of Leuc's: Another Raptor Center hero.

In 1999, vets found a small lump on Leuc's right leg and he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Never before had veterinarians witnessed cancer in a Bald Eagle while in capitivity. The docs decided to treat Leuc, performed surgery and then conducted a first ever highly targeted radiation therapy on a raptor. Leuc has been cancer free since the treatment and the data and methods of his procedures became important at the U of M not only in the vet hospital, but also reshaped the way doctors were treating bone cancer in children.

Leuc is believed to be in his mid thirties. He is no longer used for educational programs or events due to his age and more finicky eating habits. However, over the years, Leuc presided over hundreds of educational classes, thousands of tours and he attended more season openers of major league baseball and football games than any other animal in existence.

Gabriella and I spent a fair bit of time with Leuc today. I shot this with a longer lens than I normally would have because, apparently, Leuc got up on the wrong side of the nest this morning and he was a bit cranky today. Also, there were thick overcast skies today and I had to shoot at a high ISO which is shame with these birds.

Shortly after this blip, we watched him devour a dead rat......quite fun.

Have a great week.