Bald Eagle Rescued By Concerned North Jersey Citizen, Taken To Rehab

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — A Good Samaritan may have recently saved the life of an eagle in Sussex County.

On July 30, a concerned citizen called the Sparta Police Department to report an injured bald eagle in a parking lot near West Shore Trail.

Police contacted Sparta Animal Control Officer Don Critchlaw, who secured the eagle and took it to the Raptor Trust, a Long Hill Township-based bird rehab, for evaluation and treatment.

Authorities are not sure what caused the eagle's injuries, but suspect it may have flown into an electrical wire, injuring its wing.

"The bald eagle remains at the Raptor Trust while it recovers from its injury and receives the necessary care," a Sparta police statement read. "We are hopeful that the eagle will make a full recovery and eventually be able to return to the wild."

The Raptor Trust is a nonprofit organization that has been rehabilitating birds of prey since 1983. The establishment also offers educational programs and tours.