An endangered eagle in Russia survived a gunshot. It didn’t survive the 50 days officials took to authorize its treatment.
At the Karelia Zoo, a white-tailed eagle listed in Russia’s Red Book of endangered species has died, months after it was found in June with a gunshot wound near Smolensk. Wildlife rescuers said obtaining the documents needed from authorities to treat the bird took 50 days. A post on the zoo’s social media on August 9 said:
The white-tailed eagle Prince Vyazemsky, listed as endangered in Russia’s Red Book, succumbed to its gunshot wounds after officials took 50 days to authorize its treatment. Found near Smolensk in mid-June, the eagle suffered a through-and-through wing injury and had a bullet lodged in another wing. Wildlife rescuers from AistYasha, a rescue foundation, reported the incident to both the police and Rosprirodnadzor, the agency responsible for handling such cases.
Despite initial stabilization, the eagle's condition worsened due to the delay in receiving necessary documents. The regulations stipulate that any individual finding a Red Book-listed animal in need of treatment must first provide emergency aid, report the case, and then seek permission from Rosprirodnadzor. However, the process proved arduous, with the foundation experiencing a prolonged period of uncertainty before receiving authorization in early July.
Prince Vyazemsky's journey ultimately led to St. Petersburg's Chizhik-Pyzhik clinic, where he was examined after a delay of 50 days from the day he was rescued.
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