General Information
Bald eagles were abundant in Ohio until 1970. At that time, the eagle population in Ohio and throughout the U.S. had declined due to a pesticide called DDT. Used for agricultural purposes, DDT was building up in the environment and in small prey animals. When bald eagles would eat those animals, the DDT would, in turn, build up inside their bodies. Most of the eggs laid by these eagles were not viable, causing populations to decline. In 1972, DDT was banned—giving bald eagle populations a chance to rebound. In 1979, only four nesting pairs of bald eagles remained in Ohio. Thanks to the protection of their preferred habitat and nesting areas, there are more than 200 nesting pairs in the state today.
Meet Our Bald Eagles
Two bald eagles, Askate and George, live in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
George
George the bald eagle came to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in November 2002. George was about 2 years old when he was found in South Carolina, shot in his right eye. He was brought to the Carolina Raptor Center for care. Because he was unsighted in his right eye, he was soon deemed unreleasable. George is now safe at the Museum, where he currently serves as a program bird.
Askate
Askate is a female bald eagle who arrived at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in fall 2017. She came to Cleveland from the Sarvey Wildlife Center in Arlington, Washington, where she lived for 13 years. She had been deemed unreleasable after injuring her wing. Askate has found a permanent home in the Perkins Wildlife Center.
Lifespan
Wild: 15–20 years
Captive: 25–30 years
Fun Facts