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May 17th, 2013 
A tame eagle found in Thornlie was clearly being kept illegally, a Perth wildlife officer says.
Source: AAP
WILDLIFE authorities are baffled by the discovery of a tame eagle in a Perth suburb.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has appealed to the public for information about the male little eagle, estimated to be between two and four years old, who was found attached to a wire fence in Kenwick.
DEC wildlife officer Rick Dawson said the bird had been looked after well but had been held in captivity illegally.
It was a protected species and a licence was required to keep it, he said.
Mr Dawson said it was clear whoever kept it was not licensed as a nylon cord, metal fittings and chain used to attach the bird to the fence could have caused it serious injury and were not acceptable restraints.
“Following an assessment by an experienced bird of prey rehabilitator, it was found that the eagle was in good condition and was accustomed to people, and may have been trained in falconry or kept purely as a pet,” he said.
“There are only a very small handful of wildlife rehabilitators that are licensed in WA to keep these raptors, and that is because they require very specialist skills to care for and rehabilitate.”
The DEC hoped the bird could be released into the wild after a period of rehabilitation.
But if it had been kept as a pet, it may not know how to hunt live prey and may be territorial towards humans, which would mean it would have to remain in captivity for the rest of its life, Mr Dawson said.
Anyone with information about the bird was asked to call DEC’s Nature Protection Branch on 9334 0292.
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