Yes, Reign was upset all day and even tonight standing up looking out. I expect all will be fine and Manini will be highly motivated to get some flight and get off the ground :) - thank you!
The island foxes have been almost completely wiped out on Santa Cruz by the golden eagles that started nesting there in the 90s; so predation by the islands only native predatory mammal is not a threat on the ground. Unfortunately, it is believed that the abundance of feral piglets was what drew the golden eagles in the first place which means a large population of feral pigs. Possibly the most destructive non-native omnivore imaginable. Hope those pigs do not represent a threat to this young eagle while he is trapped on the ground.
Yes! Apparently they have eradicated the feral pigs from Santa Cruz Island, luckily, so that's great. The Island Foxes are so very small, weighing only about 4 pounds while the eaglet weighs about 10 pounds so he can hopefully keep one at bay with his big wings flapping and aggressive posturing. And the golden eagles were moved off the Island, too! Hopefully a parent will return soon and also hopefully he'll make his way up to any branch off the ground. Thanks for your insightful comment, I appreciate it!
