Bald eagle rescued from road in Burlington County, NJ

🔺 A motorist rescued a bald eagle in South Jersey

🔺 The eagle was found in the middle of the road in Burlington County

🔺 Once rare, bald eagles have made a remarkable comeback in New Jersey

A good Samaritan is credited with saving a bald eagle in Mansfield Township, Burlington County on Tuesday.

Christine Kiedaisch, 60, of tabernacle was driving north on Route 206 when she saw something flopping in the road.

As she got closer, she realized it was a fairly large bald eagle.

Mansfield Township Police say Christine stopped to help the injured raptor. She waived other cars around the eagle while she scooped it up and got it off the road.

Police soon arrived and called animal control.

Animal control officer Nicole Bencivengo determined the eagle had a broken wing. She transported the bird to the Mercer County Wildlife Center for evaluation.

It is not known how the animal broke its wing or how long it had been in the road.

For years, bald eagles were extremely rare in New Jersey.

Widespread use of the pesticide DDT decimated the population. In the decade from 1970 - 1980 there was just one surviving bald eagle nest. It was found in a remote section of Cumberland County.

The population has made strong comeback.

In 2022, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reported 250 active nests with viable eggs.

The eagles have become a more common site in many parts of New Jersey.

While the bald eagle was removed from the federal government's list of endangered species in 2007, it remains protected in New Jersey. The bald eagle is state-endangered during the breeding season and state-threatened for the non-breeding season.

"The continued growth of New Jersey’s bald eagle population is an inspiration to all of us and is a direct result of strong environmental protection laws, firm partnerships, innovative scientific techniques – and the dedication of many volunteers who devote much of their time to monitoring and protecting eagles,” said DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.

"The efforts of the New Jersey Bald Eagle Project – a partnership among the DEP, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, and volunteer eagle watchers – demonstrate how new technologies, effective coordination, public engagement, and education are at work to protect treasured wildlife species such as the bald eagle," LaTourette said.

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