Many of us animal lovers would confidently say that we’d be up for rescuing anything if it meant saving its life. But some animals are just a little more daunting to rescue, even when they’re injured.
31-year-old Sam Ratuski was faced with a pretty unusual rescue situation when he came across an injured bald eagle at the side of the road while driving on the I-35W near Minneapolis.
Sharing his story with CBS Minnesota, Sam admitted that his “heart dropped” when he saw it – it’s never pleasant to spot an injured animal at the side of the road – but when he noticed that its head was lifted off the pavement, he had hope.
According to Sam, the eagle was lying against the median. Despite heavy traffic on the road, Sam jumped over the median and managed to grab the eagle while a couple in a u-haul helped him to cross the road relatively safely.
Perhaps the fear of being hit by a car made carrying a bird twice the size of his own head a breeze, or perhaps Sam simply isn’t scared of eagles at all. Having grown up outdoors, Sam spoke of his deep respect for animals. He knew that his task was dangerous, but he simply couldn’t leave the eagle after spotting it.
Of course, the bald eagle is also the emblem of the United States, after it was chose for the role in June 20, 1782, thanks to its “great strength and majestic looks”, according to Bald Eagle Info. Nobody wants to see the representation of the US lying helplessly on the side of an interstate. Perhaps Sam’s patriotism to his country was also a factor in his decision to stop for the bird.
Sam’s plight had garnered quite a bit of attention. By the time he had returned back to his car, the Minnesota State Patrol had arrived.
Sam reckons they had spotted him on their cameras and decided to investigate. His only other theory was that “someone else called 911 and said ‘there was some guy carrying an eagle down the interstate.’” Now that would have been something worthy of checking out.
Luckily, having had a genuine reason for behaving recklessly on a busy road, Sam wasn’t punished for his actions. Instead, the Minnesota State Patrol called the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, who arrived to look after the eagle – but not before they snapped a pic of Sam holding the eagle to his chest.
Bald eagles are found all across North America, with the highest concentration of birds found in Alaska. They enjoy a diet of fish, mammals, birds and other small animals.
There are plenty of bald eagles to be found in America, and they’re not in danger of extinction. Interestingly, when a bald eagle makes a nest, it can weigh over one ton – and is often larger than a queen-size bed. Talk about hard work!
Kudos for Sam for risking his life on a busy interstate to rescue the injured bald eagle. While he’s still apparently waiting on an update, his good deed should be applauded in itself, no matter what the outcome of the story.
Take a look at the video below for a spoken explanation of Sam’s rescue, including photos.
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