In celebration of all the new births this Spring, the Germanna Foundation is pleased to share this photo (taken by Germanna Foundation volunteer Dr. Myron Wasiuta, OD of Culpeper) of an adult bald eagle and eaglet nesting along the Rapidan River in Orange County, Virginia.
As stated in the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Guide for Landowners regarding bald eagle habitats,
“Virginia landowners who share their property with bald eagles have a unique opportunity to become stewards of a national treasure. Not only are bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) a vital component of riverine and wetland ecosystems, but they also are a flagship indicator of ecosystem health. Providing for their needs will help ensure the security of other wildlife species, protect natural communities, and enhance the quality of the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams.”
The Germanna Foundation is proud to be such a steward.
The recovery of bald eagle populations since being listed as federally endangered in 1967 is a wildlife conservation success story. Removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Species in 2007, the bald eagle was also removed from the Virginia list effective January 1, 2013. Bald eagles and their nests remain protected under Virginia law and under the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; the Germanna Foundation has reported the nesting eagles to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The Foundation’s planned archaeological work at the Fort Germanna and Enchanted Castle historical site will not disturb the nesting pair.
The Germanna Foundation is pleased that our conservation efforts of over a mile of shoreline along the Rapidan River are being rewarded by the birth of the next generation of America’s majestic symbol.
