Zoo Miami issued the following announcement on Dec. 17.
Rita the eagle has continued to show progress in her healing from the devastating wound to her right wing. As expected, the bone at the tip of the wing became necrotic and had to be surgically removed to prevent infection to the remaining healthy portion of the wing. This resulted in what will probably be the permanent loss of the last 3-4 primary feathers on that wing which is why being able to be released back to the wild is highly unlikely.
Having said that, the good news is that the rest of the wing which was originally considered to be so critically damaged that it was unlikely to be saved, is now showing good circulation and viability. The Animal Health Team feels cautiously optimistic that most of the remaining portion of the wing can be saved.
Rita continues to eat well and demonstrate excellent strength with a feisty attitude as show goes through daily treatments. Those treatments include, but are not limited to, various frequencies of laser therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, wound treatments and bandage changes. In addition, she is on a carefully prescribed regimen of topical oral and injectable medications, all designed to assist in her healing from this horrific injury.
The bottom line is that she continues to defy the odds and show improvement each day.
Original source can be found here.
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