Phoenix, a beloved bald eagle at Dickerson Park Zoo, has died. She was part of an effort by the zoo and the Missouri Department of Conservation, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to reestablish a nesting bald eagle population in the state.
Dozens of bald eagles were brought to Missouri to Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Schell-Osage Conservation Area.
Phoenix was one of the last group of eaglets brought to the state in 1989. The birds were fitted with transmitter radios, and, after three days, Phoenix’s wasn’t moving. Pam Price is retired from her position as zoo’s education director. Here she is talking in 2019 about a conservation agent finding Phoenix on the ground.
"She was dehydrated. She hadn't eaten, and, since we had a raptor rehab center and had been working with them, they brought Phoenix here to the zoo to be rehabilitated and save her life," said Price.
She talked about having to decide if Phoenix should be released back into the wild.
"It was a hard decision because she was a healthy female now and could be released back into the wild, but with her intensive care, (we) did not know how safe that would be for the bird or for people," said Price.
The decision was made for Phoenix to join the Friends of the Zoo Education Department, and Phoenix represented the bald eagle comeback story for more than three decades.
"For over three decades, she was the star of more than 1,000 programs, which included on-ground events, Eagle Days, school assemblies, assisted living facilities, patriotic celebrations, and media appearances," according to a press release from the zoo. "Her dignified presence was respected and admired by well over 100,000 people."
