Two white-tailed eagles from Labiomista nature park in Genk that escaped two weeks ago are still on the run. One was spotted in Utrecht (the Netherlands) on Monday and the other has been making itself comfortable in a Genk garden for several days.
The birds of prey were part of a breeding program at Labiomista art park in Genk and were going to be released in Siberia. They escaped through a construction flaw in their crate during the last weekend of March.
A white-tailed eagle is a large species of sea eagle. The birds are native to Europe, Greenland, China, Russia and the Middle East. They have a brown body, pale head and, of course, white tail feathers. Once extinct in parts of the world like the UK, the birds are now increasing in population and are classified as "least concern".
Although the two have been spotted numerous times, they are very difficult to catch. Upon escaping their temporary habitat and dodging rescuers, they are suspected of stealing chickens from residents in Genk.
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The owner of Labiomista, Koen Vanmechelen, has received several reports of the birds and has sent a team to reported sites but has been unsuccessful in their capture. Vanmechelen has said that the birds can go up to five weeks without eating. The team is waiting for the right moment when the birds become weaker and come to the ground.
It is expected that the birds will soon tire and settle in one place. Since they grew up in captivity they are less adept at hunting in the wild. But with domestic creatures like chickens an available source of food, it might be that the eagles are able to subsist even with limited hunting abilities.
