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Santa Cruz eagle killed by vehicle in Nevada
Fans who watched the chick on the Web mourn raptor
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James Glover II / Star staff Biologist Jim C. Spickler returns a bald eagle chick to its nest on Santa Cruz Island in June. The eagle, nicknamed "Limuw," was killed in Nevada this month.
Archive video: Bald Eagles on Santa Cruz
In June, Canopy biologists Jim C. Spickler climbed a 40-foot tree on Santa Cruz Island to capture an eight-week-old bald eagle. Scientists then banded the bird so they can follow its movements. Scientists recently reported that this bird was killed by a car in Nevada.
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More from Local NewsA bald eagle born on Santa Cruz Island this year, whose every flick and flitter was monitored by bird enthusiasts around the world, died last week when it was hit by a car.
Biologists suspect the young bird was eating roadkill in the middle of a highway in northern Nevada when it was hit by a car Aug. 15.
For the legions of fans who posted hundreds of observations and spent countless hours watching a webcam focused on the bird, the news was a tremendous blow.
"My heart is broken," one poster wrote about the bird fans dubbed Limuw, after the Chumash name for Santa Cruz Island. "I've been watching him since the day he was born!"
"I can't talk or think right now in my grief," another wrote.
The Web site for the Institute for Wildlife Studies, which conducts the bald eagle restoration program on the Channel Islands, has pages and pages of people writing poetry and mourning the bird's death.
While scientists also were saddened to hear of the bird's demise, death is relatively common in the first year of an eagle's life.
"This is to be expected," said Dave Garcelon, president of IWS. "It's more a blow to everyone that is really rooting for that bird and who is excited to see the success of the program."
People from as far away as Australia commented in one of the many chat rooms dedicated to the bird, where friends were made and life's struggles were common topics.
Bald eagles have about a 50 percent chance of survival in their first year, Garcelon said. The eagles are not yet great hunters so they mainly feed off dead animals, which often are found on roadsides.
For a young bird to be hit by a car is not terribly uncommon, he said.
Limuw had flown off the island Aug. 8 and headed north, eventually into Nevada. A week later, a driver spotted the tags on the dead bird and called Garcelon's group, which prints its phone number on the tags.
"All their experience comes by trial and error and sometimes those errors cost you," Garcelon said. "You'd think that with all the positive karma out there that this bird would have been invincible."
The death of the bird, which was the 64th tagged on the Channel Islands, does not have an effect on the larger populations there, Garcelon said. Mortalities were built into the equation when figuring out how many birds were needed to re-establish populations there, which severely declined after years of exposure to DDT. As many as five nests may be on the islands next year, Garcelon said. The birds were recently taken off the Endangered Species List.
Still, Limuw was special to many. "Around the clock everyone has been watching this little bird grow," Kris Sherwood said through a steady stream of tears. The Santa Monica woman, who goes by circlescribe in the chat rooms, spent hours watching the bird on the webcam.
"It's just so heartbreaking."
Posted by JenLynn on August 23, 2007 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's the sad side of nature. I'm glad to hear that someone reported the bird's death, it was the right thing to do. I'm just so sad to hear this story, I had me son's 1st grade class watching the baby in his nest. Poor little guy.
Posted by vicki.swenson on August 23, 2007 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've been watching my baby Limuw since his hatching. All of us on the IWS discussion board are struggling to deal with the lost of our little boy, and the tears continue to flow. He was such a character with personality plus. I know he is soaring in heaven with the angels. Rest in peace my sweet Limuw.
Posted by PleaseCare on August 23, 2007 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have grown to love all the Institute for Wildlife Studies bald eagle nests...my heart will break repeatedly for any eagle losses. When you watch the Santa Cruz Island web cam, you get the best eagle/s view and become attached VERY quickly. There are awesome eagle nests on Catalina Island not available on web cams--and my heart belongs to those eagles as well. This is an incredibly important bald eagle restoration project. I, and many others, have cried buckets over the loss of A-63/Limuw...
Posted by res0crek on August 23, 2007 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to ditto Patti's post from above. Though we are all mourning the loss of this precious eagle, we need to concentrate and keep in mind the many other special eagles that the IWS is trying to help. Please take a moment to look at what this wonderful organization has accomplished so far at: http://www.iws.org You can also get to our discussion forum thru this site. Thank you IWS!!!
Bea from Camarillo
Posted by vicki.swenson on August 23, 2007 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bea and Patti, yes, you truly are right. Yes, we're all mouring our baby Limuw. But we know the great work Dr. Sharpe and his staff do to keep our Bald Eagles flourishing, and we can't thank them enough.
2008 will bring us more babies, and we know the spirit of Limuw will always be in the canyons of his birthplace. Thanks Patti and Bea for seeing the future of IWS work. I'll be on the discussion board, probably crying buckets with the video's and memorials, but we're not alone, we're a great group of eagleholics. (Summer818)
Posted by pattikarr on August 23, 2007 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We watched this brave little eagle hatch in a huge wind storm on Friday the 13th..we thought he would be Lucky forever..we thought our love somehow protected him..we couldn't protect him from man. We find hope in the success of the other eagles that are thriving on the islands..especially A-49 the Santa Cruz Princess that was the first born in the wild on the SC in 50 years in 2006 who has made it thru her first most crucial year of life..she remains safe on her islands. Lucky Limuw was such a brave sweet soul who didn't deserve to die at the hands of man..he will live on forever in our hearts.
Posted by Angelfish321 on August 24, 2007 at 6:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am just thankful to be given the chance to be able to watch the bald eagles as they prepared their nest (K10 and K26), hatched Limuw, watched how Limuw prepared for his first flight by exercising his wings, and finally taking flight. I am thankful for poeple like Dr. Sharpe and the IWS crew who devote their lives to give us a better world through conservation efforts. Limuw will always be my first love when it come to the precious bald eagles all over the nation.
Posted by harpo516 on August 26, 2007 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Limuw had a very short life but a very powerful life - bringing folks together from all over the world - educating adults and children - making us all aware - bringing joy and all with no effort or awareness on his part! Thank you Dr. Sharpe and IWS for all that you do to help the Eagles take their place among us.
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