The Raptor Refuge has been caring for and releasing rehabilitated wedge-tailed eagles in Tasmania for almost 30 years now. Today I was very happy to photograph a release of not one, but two wedgies, which is a role I played many years ago for the Refuge.

Ziggy has now joined his dad Craig as Tasmania’s wildlife warriors for the raptors. Today I got to photograph them at the end of the rehabilitation journey for these two magnificent raptors as they flew free into the blue skies of Tasmania’s Midlands.

Craig also had an eagle to release, and the two eagles, having been rehabilitated together flew off to perch on a nearby tree.

It’s a wonderful achievement by the small team at the Raptor Refuge. Wedge-Tailed Eagles are an endangered species, and need large open spaces to nest, raise young, and hunt. Threats include land clearing and logging old forests, as well as collisions with power lines and traffic.

Anytime one (let alone two!) of these very special birds can be released back into their natural environment, after months and months of care and rehabilitation, really is a wonderful day.