Plum Island Eagle Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
The Plum Island Eagle Sanctuary is a 52-acre island in the Illinois River
owned by the Illinois Audubon Society. It was purchased in 2004 to act as a wildlife sanctuary, to encourage and support the nesting and breeding of the bald eagle
. It is close to Matthiessen State Park
and adjacent to Starved Rock State Park
.
When purchased, it had been slated by developers for development of fifty high-priced homes, and fully half of the island would have been bulldozed, destroying both bald eagle nests and Native American burial sites . Audubon Society and its supporters successfully prevented Plum Island from being developed into a resort area and upscale condominiums.
The group of supporters who accomplished this was led by the Illinois Audubon Society with substantial support from Friends of Plum Island, Save Our American Raptors, the Sierra Club of Illinois, and then Illinois Lt. Governor (now Governor) Pat Quinn.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency provided a small grant to help fund removal of debris, old cabins and a boat from the island.
The island is closed to the public, except for restoration activities. The Illinois Audubon Society wanted to save the island for the eagles, to preserve the scenic view from Starved Rock, and to protect the Native American archaeological sites which are there.
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
owned by the Illinois Audubon Society. It was purchased in 2004 to act as a wildlife sanctuary, to encourage and support the nesting and breeding of the bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
. It is close to Matthiessen State Park
Matthiessen State Park
Matthiessen State Park is an Illinois state park located a few miles south of the more famous Starved Rock State Park. The main entrances to both parks are located on Illinois State Route 178....
and adjacent to Starved Rock State Park
Starved Rock State Park
Starved Rock State Park is a state park in Illinois, characterized by the many canyons within its 2360 acres. Located just southwest of the village of North Utica, in Deer Park Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, along the south bank of the Illinois River, the park hosts over two million visitors...
.
When purchased, it had been slated by developers for development of fifty high-priced homes, and fully half of the island would have been bulldozed, destroying both bald eagle nests and Native American burial sites . Audubon Society and its supporters successfully prevented Plum Island from being developed into a resort area and upscale condominiums.
The group of supporters who accomplished this was led by the Illinois Audubon Society with substantial support from Friends of Plum Island, Save Our American Raptors, the Sierra Club of Illinois, and then Illinois Lt. Governor (now Governor) Pat Quinn.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency provided a small grant to help fund removal of debris, old cabins and a boat from the island.
The island is closed to the public, except for restoration activities. The Illinois Audubon Society wanted to save the island for the eagles, to preserve the scenic view from Starved Rock, and to protect the Native American archaeological sites which are there.
Eagle Releases
The first release of rehabilitated eagles at the sanctuary occurred on November 12, 2011. Two juvenile bald eagles were rescued and raised by the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation organization on June 2, 2011 and were released back to the wild at Plum Island to blend with the current eagle population.External Sites
- Illinois Audubon Society: http://www.illinoisaudubon.org/MAINLINKS/LANDCONS/PLUMISLAND.html