A team of veterinary surgeons performed cataract surgery on Thunder, a resident bald eagle at Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater, at a clinic in Brandon on Thursday.
Thunder was rescued after being shot by a poacher as an eaglet in her nest in Sebring in 1995, when bald eagles were still endangered. She survived, but the attack killed her sibling and severed an optic nerve, leaving her blind in her right eye, according to Barbara Walker, who cares for Thunder at the Sanctuary.
At age 9, Thunder laid an egg, confirming she was female. She was transferred to the sanctuary in 2023, where a partial cataract was discovered in her left eye. Over the past six months, the cataract has worsened, making surgery necessary to preserve her quality of life, Walker said.
Since her rescue, Thunder has served as an ambassador for public education, including a trip to Maine for Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit that honors fallen U.S. military service members.
Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue supports the raptor program at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free. If you wish to donate to support Thunder or other raptors at Moccasin Lake Raptor Sanctuary, visit moccasinlakeraptorsanctuary.org, or visit the sanctuary in person at 2750 Park Trail Lane in Clearwater.
