The race against time to find eagles escaped from Dollywood

May 8, 2026

Two bald eagles named Rockland and Wesley remain missing after escaping from Dollywood's Eagle Mountain Sanctuary two weeks ago when a storm toppled a tree into their enclosure, though a third eagle, Caesar, was successfully recaptured last weekend. The sanctuary, which represents a 35-year partnership between Dolly Parton's theme park and the American Eagle Foundation, houses non-releasable eagles with flight limitations and has become the world's largest such facility. Teams of specialists are urgently searching for the remaining eagles because their physical disabilities and comfort around humans make survival in the wild unlikely.

Who is affected

Rockland and Wesley (the two eagles still missing)
Caesar (the recovered eagle)
Lori Moore, CEO of the American Eagle Foundation
James Rogers, AEF chairman and long-time foundation member
Dolly Parton (co-owner of Dollywood)
Avian care specialists and "the bird whisperer"
The American Eagle Foundation staff and executives
Dollywood theme park (3 million annual visitors)
Local community members in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains reporting sightings
People calling in tips from Indiana, Virginia, and Georgia

What action is being taken

Teams of cops, executives, and avian specialists are actively chasing and searching for Rockland and Wesley
The sanctuary is asking people to report sightings of the eagles
Foundation members are responding to viable leads by rushing to reported locations
The community is keeping eyes peeled and calling in sightings
The sanctuary continues to house, care for, and exhibit remaining eagles
Dollywood showcases the Wings of America show daily for park visitors

Why it matters

This situation matters because the escaped eagles have limited flight abilities and physical disabilities that threaten their survival in the wild, with Rockland having a displaced wing and Wesley suffering from a chronic shoulder injury. The eagles are dangerously comfortable around people and lack the skills needed to survive independently. Beyond the immediate animal welfare concerns, the search has united a divided community around a common cause involving the national symbol, demonstrating how conservation efforts can bring people together. The sanctuary itself represents a significant conservation success story, having contributed to the bald eagle's recovery from endangered status through decades of breeding, rehabilitation, and releases that helped restore wild populations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC