Regal
Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Wyoming
2026
This crippled bald eagle has spent many years by itself in an outdoor cage. I don’t know how it’s doing mentally but it certainly has maintained its dignity visually.
Regal
Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Wyoming
2026
This crippled bald eagle has spent many years by itself in an outdoor cage. I don’t know how it’s doing mentally but it certainly has maintained its dignity visually.
Beautiful!!! Yes, I wonder how being captive affects its psyche. Makes me ask the question: Is it better to be alive, and be captive, or is it better to have the alternative?
Is it better to be alive and be captive, or is it better to have the alternative? Who knows what that eagle thinks, or if he’s happy. Not to be melodramatic about it but I was at a decision point in a similar situation 15 months ago. My first choice was to go with the alternative rather than going through what I faced with a transplant. But I changed my mind (actually for a very pragmatic rather than a philosophical reason). So far I’m glad I went through with it, make that very glad!
Interesting, the thought processes needed for such things as a heart transplant. None of us can really know what we’d do until we’re in the situation. And you show that our decisions can change at that moment.
The eagle… It didn’t get to decide if it would be caged.
The eagle did get to decide (to a large degree anyway) how well it would thrive once in the caged setting, and by appearances anyway it decided to take care of itself. I feel less sorry for it being caged than I do for it being caged without any other avian company. But maybe it doesn’t care.
Magnificent!
Thanks Carol!