Adopt a Bald Eagle and Protect the Symbol of America
In honor of the upcoming inauguration, Friends of the National Zoo is offering a bald eagle special Adopt package for $65. No matter what your political affiliation, this is a great opportunity to make a difference on behalf of the symbol of America. This limited-time package includes:
An adorable bald eagle plush- Personalized adoption certificate
- Bald eagle photo
- Bald eagle fact sheet
- Bald eagle magnet
- 4"x6" American flag
All of this is patriotically packed in red and blue tissue paper and shipped in a cardboard animal carrier complete with air holes and a handle.
About the Bald Eagle
The bald eagle is the only eagle unique to North America. From the northern
reaches of Alaska and Canada and south to northern Mexico, it can be
found throughout most of the continent. Though bald eagles may range
over great distances, they usually return to nest within 100 miles of
where they were raised.
American Symbol on the Brink
When bald eagles were chosen as our national symbol in 1782, wildlife
experts believe there may have been 25,000 to 75,000 of these birds
nesting in the lower 48 states. Since then, the bald eagle has suffered
from habitat destruction, shooting, and food-source contamination—most
notably from the pesticide DDT, which was absorbed from food and resulted in fragile eggs being prone to breaking or otherwise preventing chicks from hatching. By the early 1960s, fewer than 450 bald
eagle nesting pairs remained in the lower 48 states.
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| One of the stars of the Zoo's Bald Eagle Refuge |
Thanks to legal protection and conservation measures such as the banning of DDT, bald eagle populations have made significant recovery. Breeding programs helped restock wild populations in places where bald eagles had been wiped out. Currently, nearly 9,800 adult bald eagle nesting pairs live in the contiguous U.S.
The recovery of the bald eagle from near extinction stands as a crowning achievement of this country’s conservation efforts. While habitat loss still limits the bald eagle’s recovery, Americans are seeing their national symbol more and more often.
Learn
more about the bald eagle.
How Adopting Makes a Difference
When you adopt
a bald eagle you'll help the efforts of the National Zoo and its
Conservation and Research Center (CRC) to help protect this majestic
bird. In addition, your donation will help fund conservation and science
programs, exhibit improvement, equipment, and medical care for the 2,000
other animals that live at the Zoo and CRC.
Because your adopt contribution is dedicated directly to animal care, you truly make a difference!
Questions?
Email us.
Photos by Jessie Cohen/NZP
