Overview
- A two-week-old chick at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Plant nest swallowed a fishing hook seen on the live camera, prompting an emergency rescue over the weekend.
- Tamarack Wildlife Center obtained federal, state, and landowner approvals in about an hour to allow a hands-on extraction.
- Northwood Tree Care removed the eaglet from the nest and drove it to avian surgeon Dr. Jesse Fallon in Morgantown for treatment.
- X-rays showed the hook deep in the digestive tract, surgery removed it, and by Sunday morning staff reported normal gut movement and a feeding.
- Rescuers say the first 48 hours are critical and, if recovery holds, the chick could return to its family within about a week, with U.S. Steel pledging updates.