During the early 1960's, bald eagle populations plummeted. The cumulative effects of the widely used pesticide known as DDT was causing a series of problems with the reproductive success of these top predators. One of the most serious was that the pesticide caused their egg shells to thin and break at the lightest touch.

After DDT was banned in the early 1970's, massive recovery efforts were made to try to restore bald eagles and many other top predatory birds (peregrine falcons, ospreys). Here in Massachusetts, one of the people who has made a big difference in eagle recovery is Tom Ricardi. A retired environmental police officer, Ricardi has helped rehabilitate birds of prey for more than 30 years. Here he is with a 4-year old female bald eagle who was injured. When she recovers, she will be released into the wild.

Ricardi has also launched a captive breeding program with birds that have permanent and disabling injuries. This is a baby barn owl that he helped raise. He has also released more than a dozen young bald eagles that were produced and raised by his captive eagles.