One of Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s bald eagles, Toano, died last week at approximately 24 years old.
Toano died Wednesday from severe heart disease and was being treated by the zoo’s veterinary team for several ongoing medical conditions, Denver Zoo officials wrote in a Facebook post.
Toano was rescued by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers in Washington after he was found with chest and wing injuries, and he wasn’t able to be released back to the wild despite rehabilitation efforts.
He moved from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to the Denver Zoo in March 2006.
Zoo staff don’t know his exact age but estimate he was at least 24 years old, according to the organization. The average life expectancy for bald eagles in human care is 16 years old.
Toano’s body will be sent to the National Eagle Repository, which oversees the distribution of feathers, body parts and bodies to members of federally recognized tribes for religious purposes.
The Denver Zoo previously participated in the program, which helps protect wild eagle populations, by sharing molted eagle feathers.
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Originally Published: July 8, 2024 at 7:25 p.m.
