BEAUMONT — A bald eagle suffering from electrical burns has been euthanized, Beaumont Animal Services reported on Tuesday.

“It is with great sadness, that Beaumont Animal Services reports that “Hope,” the bald eagle that was first reported on yesterday (Monday), had to be euthanized at the Wildlife Center of Texas, which is located in Houston,” according to Beaumont Animal Services.

The three-year-old female eagle named “Hope” was rescued by an officer with the Beaumont Animal services afte receiving a call of an injured bird in the 7200 block of Helbig Road in Beaumont Monday, according to a press release.

The bird showed signs of burns on the top of her head and an injured foot. After conferring with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Fish and Wildlife Service, Hope was rushed to the Wildlife Center of Texas which is one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation centers in the nation caring for more than 9,000 wild animals every year.

A team of specialists in aviary medicine made emergency treatments and evaluations and it was found that Hope had been electrocuted, most likely by a high line in her nesting area.

When she was electrocuted, the current traveled from her foot, through her body and then out the top of the left side of her head.

This explained the burn places on her head and badly burned eye, as well as the injured foot. Internally she had bleeding and fluid in her lungs.

After the bleak diagnosis it was determined that she would need to be euthanized.

Hope was verified to be a female bald eagle, about three years old. The bald eagle is both the national bird and national animal and is on the nation’s seal.

In the late 20^th century the eagle was almost pushed to extinction in the United States and placed on the endangered species list.

Several different Acts and laws were created to help protect the bird and after many years the Bald Eagle was finally removed from both the Endangered and the Threaten species list in 2007. The birds are still protected today by Federal Laws under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act. For more information on the Eagles go to http://www.fws.gov/midwest/eagle/index.html