For 35 years, Dolly Parton's Dollywood cared for non-releasable bald eagles; after storm damage, the birds will stay at a new 50-acre sanctuary
After 35 years, Dollywood's non-releasable bald eagles will live permanently at the American Eagle Foundation's 50-acre campus in Kodak after storm damage.
For 35 years, Dolly Parton's Dollywood theme park in Tennessee provided a home for non-releasable bald eagles at the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary. However, after a storm damaged the sanctuary on April 19, 2026, the American Eagle Foundation and Dollywood announced that the eagles will now reside on the foundation's 50-acre campus in Kodak, Tennessee.
The foundation, which has been partnering with Dollywood since 1991, plans to consolidate its eagle care, conservation, and educational efforts in one place. Three eagles, Caesar, Rockland, and Wesley, escaped during the storm but are currently missing, while at least 26 others were captured and taken to the Kodak campus. Dollywood's president, Eugene Naughton, expressed gratitude for the 35-year partnership, stating that the collaboration has allowed millions of guests to learn about and appreciate bald eagles and other birds of prey.
The foundation has set over 400 bald eagles free into the wild and received a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Award for its work in bald eagle recovery.
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