LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – An American hero risked his life swimming to assistance from America’s nationwide chicken, dealing with a doable alligator within the course of.
Doug Hay advised FOX 13 Tampa Bay that on April 19, he heard a splash within the lake behind his Lakewood Ranch, Florida, dwelling. He and his spouse went to research the noise and noticed a bald eagle within the heart of the lake, with one other bald eagle circling above.
Hay believes the 2 eagles had been combating when considered one of them turned significantly injured and ended up within the lake.
Seeing the eagle in hassle, Hay jumped into the lake and began swimming towards it.
Hay advised FOX 13 the eagle landed “smack in the middle” of the 100-yard lake, and he additionally knew a 7-foot alligator lived within the water.
In response to the Nationwide Eagle Middle, bald eagles can use their wings to swim like oars in the event that they catch a fish too heavy to elevate. Nonetheless, this eagle was injured, and it’s unclear if it had made it so removed from the center of the lake.
Hay reached the eagle, which grabbed his arm with its talons. The pair “barely made it to shore” as a result of Hay, 69, stated he was so drained. Hay’s spouse caught the entire unimaginable rescue on digicam.
In a follow-up video, Hay exhibits the eagle on the lakeshore and says he hopes it can fly off. After some time, when it turned clear the eagle was injured, he notified a wildlife rescue.
The Wildlife Middle of Southwest Florida in Venice is caring for the eagle now, which is recovering from an “extensive” wound to the thoracic cavity.
Hay additionally suffered some wounds to his arm from the eagle’s talons, however he stated he would do it once more to avoid wasting “the symbol of America.”
