This Injured Eagle Stopped Traffic While She Waited For Rescuers (PHOTOS)

What would you do if you found an injured wild animal? We humans can be very prone to doing anything we can to save an animal caught in a tricky situation — and in some cases, we have no other choice but to act in the moment to save a life. But, when it comes down to it, we should always leave the rescues to the professionals.

In the case of an injured bald eagle found wandering up and down the streets in Florida, that’s exactly what this awesome rescue team did. While the police were the first to arrive on the scene, they did just the opposite of moving her so drivers could get to their destinations: they set up cones and stopped traffic completely and waited for the real professionals. Anyone who has ever been stuck in traffic knows what a headache it can be when you can’t get where you need to go, but for this majestic bird, it was totally worth ticking off a handful of drivers.

Traffic along a Clearwater, Florida highway came to a halt for one lucky injured eagle.

Officers stood guard while they waited for wildlife rescuers to arrive on the scene.

Once rescuers arrived, they were able to wrap her in a blanket while she was transferred to a net.

Safe and sound in a pet carrier, the eagle was carried away to be brought to Busch Gardens in Tampa to begin rehabilitation.

Once at the rehab center, the eagle was treated for a chipped bone and bruised wing, and then she got a snazzy and patriotic bandage. How fitting.

Once this nameless eagle is deemed fit to return to the wild, her rehabbers plan to release her close to where she was found. We’re so glad because this beautiful bird deserves to fly free!

While it might be difficult to resist the temptation of springing to action to help an injured wild animal, we ask that you leave it up to the trained professionals. If you ever come across an injured wild animal, please call your local wildlife rescue hotline immediately.

All image source: Clearwater Police Department/Facebook