Dollywood Pushes Into Summer As Search Continues for Two Injured Eagles

Overview

• Dollywood’s Splash Country, which reopened May 16, is operating for summer as teams keep looking for two missing bald eagles from the park’s sanctuary.
• Severe April storms damaged Eagle Mountain Sanctuary and let three eagles escape, and staff later recovered Caesar after spotting his orange leg band and moved him into rehabilitation.
• The two still missing, Rockland and Wesley, have existing wing or shoulder injuries that make hunting and long‑term survival in the wild difficult.
• The foundation reports Rockland showed bruising near his beak after the storm, and search crews are tracking sightings across the Southeast based on community tips.
• Rising heat and heavier tourist traffic in the Smoky Mountains could complicate the effort, even as Dollywood rolls out new nighttime events like Neon Nights and keeps guest operations on track.