Help choose a name for aquarium's rescued bald eagle

<p>The young bald eagle with a damaged left wing at the <a href=”http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic13″><b>N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher</b></a> will soon have a name.</p><p>Officials at the aquarium opened the naming contest earlier this month after staff members voted on three names to present to the public.</p><p>The bird, which is too young to have the signature white cap of a mature eagle, will either be Fisher, Maverick or Aquila – which is eagle in Latin – once voting ends June 30.</p><p>”Because this eagle is flightless, that is really one of the reasons we wanted to make sure he had a name,” said Robin Nalepa, spokeswoman for the Kure Beach attraction.</p><p>She said aquarium staff members submitted close to two dozen names and then voted on their three favorites.</p><p>Nalepa added that it was important to have initial recommendations from staff members because they are who care for the bird on a daily basis.</p><p>”They develop a special-care relationship,” she said.</p><p>The juvenile eagle came to Fort Fisher after he was rehabilitated in Wisconsin. He was found with an injured wing and will never be able to fly.</p><p>After spending several months getting accustomed to his new home, the eagle was placed front and center in the aquarium where Luna the albino alligator was once located. </p><p>Visitors and aquarium supporters have two ways to vote, Nalepa said. Visitors can vote through an online survey posted on the aquarium’s <a href=”http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook”><b>Facebook</b></a> page.</p><p>For visitors who want to vote and support the site’s conservation efforts, they can put money into glass fishbowls at the building’s entrance. Every dollar is one vote.</p><p>Aquarium officials hosted a similar contest last summer when they were naming a green sea turtle. The marine reptile was eventually named Shelldon after more than 1,100 votes were cast, Nalepa said.</p><p>Monetary voting happened during that contest, Nalepa said, and nearly $600 was raised.</p><p>As of June 16, 553 votes had been cast online, Nalepa said. Officials have not yet counted what has been raised from the fishbowls.</p><p>Alex McClure, a junior volunteer at the aquarium, was stationed at the eagle’s exhibit Thursday morning.</p><p>When she was telling visitors facts about the eagle, including when his feathers should turn white and his choice of diet, she encouraged them to help name him.</p><p>She said she supported giving the public a chance to help name the latest addition to the aquarium.</p><p>”We try not just to be an exhibit,” Alex said. “We do like to interact with our guests.”</p><p>Dave Houck, who has lived in the area for several years, said he has never heard of a tourist attraction welcoming public input on something like this.</p><p>”I think it’s cool,” he said. “It makes them more part of the aquarium.”</p><p><i></p><p>Caitlin Dineen: 343-2339</p><p>On <a href=”http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41″><b>Twitter</b></a>: @CaitlinDineen</i></p>

Help choose a name for aquarium"s rescued bald eagle