Illy, the injured bald eagle rescued by RCMP and civilians last December made a surprise break for freedom on Wednesday, February 8, from the animal hospital where it had been convalescing.
“Shortly after 2 pm on Wednesday February 8, Revelstoke RCMP received a phone call from the (Fawcett Family Wildlife Health Centre in Kamloops) to pass along the following news about Illy,” Cpl. Thomas Blakney said in a statement. “While attempting to feed Illy, she managed to overpower a wildlife staff member and escape through an open cage door. Illy was last observed flying high in the sky, heading in an easterly direction from Kamloops. The staff member was not harmed.”
Illy first flopped into the public eye on December 16 local Mounties were called to assist three civilians who had spotted her floundering in snow along the Illecillewaet River.
Nicknamed ‘Illy,’ the large raptor was having trouble getting around due to a broken wing. Illy was captured using a hockey stick and a piece of salmon. She was transported to the Fawcett Family Wildlife Health Centre in Kamloops. It was later determined she was also anemic.
The RCMP were in occasional contact with the Wildlife Centre to check up on Illy’s progress. She was doing well and was scheduled to be released in Revelstoke this spring.
However, Illy obviously had her own agenda.
“A big thanks goes out to the staff at the Fawcett Family Wildlife Health Centre for nursing Illy back to health,” Blakney said. “Clearly she was ready to go, and given the opportunity, she made an unscheduled getaway!
