A Wedge-tailed eagle recovering from a gunshot injury is now the latest attraction at Ipswich Nature Centre.
Mirrigin was brought to the Queens Park animal sanctuary and housed in an off-display enclosure to recoup in 2018 after being treated for her injury in 2017 by a Brisbane veterinarian and UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital at Gatton.
When Mirrigin recuperated she was not able to fly and hunt as she once had in the wild and it was decided she would remain at the Ipswich Nature Centre because of her calm nature.
After being moved to her modified enclosure and given plenty of special care and rehabilitation, Mirrigin is now ready to see visitors.
Mirrigin has been undergoing rehabilitation and learning how to sit on a gloved hand to be fed and checked over.
Her modified enclosure is nine metres long and four and a half metres high, allowing Mirrigin to spread her wings and jump between perches and has an enclosed area built on the side.
While this enclosure exceeds State requirements, her stay will be a temporary one while her “forever home” is in the planning stages after the council adopted the Ipswich Nature Centre Masterplan in July.
Mayor Teresa Harding said it was a privilege for Council to house and care for some of Australia’s unique native fauna.
“It is rare to be able to see one of Australia’s largest raptors up close and personal, and now our community can do so, for free, right here at the Ipswich Nature Centre,” Cr Harding said.
“She is a joy to watch as she extends her massive wings to get around as best she can. Mirrigin is using the space already and she will be able to continue building her strength as she gets around.
“Her rehabilitation has come a long way from when she first arrived and this enclosure will encourage her to spread her wings a little further to fly between perches.”
The materials to build the enclosure were chosen to best replicate the look and feel that Wedge-tailed Eagles would encounter in the wild.
Strong perching sites at various heights allow the eagles to survey their territory.
A water pond set in the sand is indicative of the open scrubland that eagles look over.
The new netting was researched to ensure that when Mirrigin’s wings come in to contact with it, it does not cause further damage.
The enclosure can be viewed from two boardwalks so visitors to the Nature Centre will be able to get a much closer view of Australia’s apex raptor than they could ever expect to see in the wild.
Fast Facts about the Ipswich Nature Centre
• The only free zoo in SEQ located within 1 hour of more than 1.3 million people
• More than 140,000 visitations per year
• Oldest council-owned zoo in Queensland – operating since 1936
• More than 185 different native animals and birds on display representing over 43 species
• Zoo and Aquarium Association Accredited Zoo
• A member of the International Bilby Breeding Program
• Number 1 tourist experience in Ipswich on TripAdvisor
• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner