On the night of Jun. 19, 2024, the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) was alerted to a juvenile white-bellied sea eagle lodged in the fork of a tree in a small forested area in Woodlands.

According to the witness, the raptor had been stranded on the tree for quite some time.

The eagle appeared distressed, and was stuck around six to seven storeys high.

A perilous rescue mission

The juvenile raptor was trapped in the tree fork at an unusual angle.

It appeared distressed, flapping its wings frailly.

With the large, dishevelled bird lodged at an astonishing height, the team was initially perplexed by how to approach the rescue operation.

Kalai Vanan, co-CEO of Acres, told Mothership that the team has a "vast experience of rescuing countless birds" stuck in high branches, yet this particular bird was "way too high".

Usual methods such as using telescopic poles that can reach a height of three storeys were deemed unviable as well.

The rough terrain also posed a challenge for them.

Kalai stated that the raptor displayed visible signs of weakness and "it was purely a race against time to get to him as soon as possible."

Fortunately, Acres was able to reach out to a rescue volunteer, Gabriel, who was a trained tree climber.

After setting up the climbing equipment, Gabriel was quick to ascend up the tree, initiating the rescue operation at 10pm.

In the darkness of the night, the low illumination and great height made the operation a tricky one, as the team also had to ensure there were enough torches.

In a clip filmed by Acres, Gabriel was seen inching his way up the tree with some ropes and harnesses, until about five storeys above the ground.

He then used a carbon telescopic pole to carefully dislodge the big bird.

Following several attempts, the juvenile eagle was freed from the branches and gently flew to the ground.

Two other rescue officers then successfully recovered the feeble raptor at 1am.

Kalai conveyed to Mothership that "safety and skills" were paramount to this remarkable three-hours long rescue.

Treatment and recuperation

After the rescue, the raptor appeared to be stressed and fatigued, Kalai described.

Upon closer examination, it was found to have a dislocated hip joint and a soft tissue injury on its left wing.

At 2am, Acres' veterinarian performed a medical operation on the injured bird.

It was then left to rest and recuperate.

A day after its medical procedure, the raptor appeared to have a great appetite, as Kalai shared a snippet of the eagle feasting on fish.

Release and reunion

On Jun. 27, 2024, the juvenile eagle was ready to leave the premise.

However, Kalai said that it was not a straightforward process.

To ensure that the juvenile reconnects with its parents, Acres had to touch base with Bird Society of Singapore, which promotes research and conservation of local bird populations.

With their help, an active nest belonging to the white-bellied sea eagle was found, located merely 100m away from the rescue site.

The eagle was then released at the location where it was discovered.

As a juvenile bird, it struggled to gain quick elevation in its flight, said Kalai.

Nevertheless, it slowly managed to fly higher with the help of branches at varying heights.

The next day, the young eagle was seen back in its nest with its parents.

Kalai relayed that a Bird Society of Singapore member will continue to help observe the eagle’s behaviour.

"What's beautiful about this case is that we would do the same regardless of species," Kalai told Mothership.

More about the white-bellied sea eagle

The white-bellied sea eagle is Singapore's largest common raptor.

It has a body length of 60 to 70cm and a wing span of about 2m.

It is usually observed near water bodies or in forested areas, and feeds primarily on fish, sea snakes and crustaceans.

Adult white-bellied sea eagles are identified by their all white underparts and black flight feathers.

Younger eagles possess light brown feathers and a dull cream-coloured head.

This pale colouration gradually lightens to white as they grow into adulthood.

When soaring, the eagle is identified by a shallow 'V' shape formed when its wings are lifted.

Using twigs, the eagle usually builds its nest on emergent trees over 30m tall.