Hi Bruce, thank you for taking the time to comment! You bring up many ethical issues that are often hotly debated regarding these wildlife cams. In fact, it is my understanding that there was a very strong debate and concern over many of the issues you mention during the 24 hours that the eaglet was stuck. (although I didn’t learn of the whole problem until later in the evening, so didn’t witness the debate personally). I don’t have any good answers, and understand much of what both sides feel and debate over.
The one thing I can address directly, is your question about imprinting. I do know that the expert raptor centers will make every effort to make sure that no imprinting happens. Imprinting is when the young animal begins to depend on humans for food. The raptor centers often use blinds or gloves shaped like the parents to minimize any chance of this happening. The raptor centers that I know of, are dedicated to releasing the animals so that they can succeed in the wild, whenever possible. I have been told that imprinting is much more likely to happen when a well meaning but non expert person tries to help an animal by feeding and caring for it without understanding the issue of imprinting. In this particular case I know that they are dedicated to getting the eaglet back onto the nest as soon as possible. I can also say that the parents were there and attempted to assist their eaglet throughout the time it was stuck, and I am told were nearby during the rescue. Historically, with eagles, they are accepted quite well back into the nest in these situations, which may not be true for other animals. In fact, one of the ways that the eagle population has made it off the endangered species list, is that hatchlings were fostered and accepted into other nests regularly. Of course, this topic could send you off into the “what do we do (if anything) now that there are so many eagles, that they are interfacing in suburban and urban areas to find territory…but I won’t even attempt to go there. I understand and appreciate your concerns very much, it is a very difficult topic all around and one with many viewpoints.
