HAMILTON TOWNSHIP -- With tomorrow marking the start of trout season for most of our area, a wildlife facility in our area has one request: if you find yourself out on the water with some extra fish in your bucket, consider donating them!
The Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center near Saylorsburg could use the fish to feed two bald eagles that they are currently nursing back to health.
Workers at the facility help care for thousands of animals each year, but now directors are asking for some help of their own as they continue to care for these eagles.
"We are asking people who like to fish, but maybe don't really want to keep them since they are stocked fish anyway, if they would like to donate them to the Pocono Wildlife Rehab Center so we can keep fish in the freezer for these bald eagles," said Kathy Uhler, the Center's Director.
Uhler tells Newswatch 16 that the two bald eagles -- one male, one female -- are recovering from wing injuries. Their diets consist primarily of fish, and that is not always easy to come by.
Uhler adds that the number of bald eagles coming into the facility has been steadily increasing.
"We take care of them and help them get back out into the wild and we need people to help do that," she said.
She says that a few donations have already come in -- one person even buying and donating trout from Cherry Valley Trout Hatchery just down the road from the Center. Craig Reddinger, who owns the Hatchery, also donates trout whenever he can.
"If I have any fish that are hurt, I take them back for the eagles and rapture birds and we go from there," said Reddinger.
He says that he's happy to sell some of his stock to anyone looking to help the place that cares for so many animals.
"If they want to come down and buy fish and take them back to Kathy and Eric, they are more than welcome to come and I'll sell them the fish," he added.
For more information about Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, click here.
