UPDATE: MK the bald eagle has died from her illness.
ARLINGTON, Mass. (WWLP) – A bald eagle has died after being believed to have eaten rodenticide poisoning.
The female bald eagle known as MK was found in a cemetery in Arlington on the ground and too weak to get off the ground after many tries flying away. MK was taken to the New England Wildlife Center.
The veterinary team says MK was severely anemic, lethargic, could barely stand on her own, and had a delayed blood clotting time. Lab results taken led the Wildlife Center to believe she likely ate a rodent that was ingested with poison. She had no broken bones and was not carrying any eggs.
The New England Wildlife Center updated the public on Wednesday saying MK has passed away from her injuries. They are still awaiting diagnostics to come back but believe she spontaneously hemorrhaged and began bleeding internally. The poison in her system blocked her ability to clot and stop the bleeding.
“It was always hard to watch a patient in this condition, but MK was particularly devastating. We know how well loved she is here in the Baystate and how many people her presence inspired to connect with our natural environments and the wildlife in them. We hope her case will serve as a true wake up call for people to stop using SGARS, and will ultimately lead to true systemic change. It is time to restrict the use of these poisons. Rodent control does not need to come at the expense of our natural heritage and ecosystem,” said the Wildlife Center.
MK was a well-documented bald eagle in eastern Massachusetts. She was hatched in Waltham in 2016 and mates with a bald eagle named KZ. MK and KZ frequently visit the Mystic River watershed and even have a children’s book written about them.
