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Ozzie, famous bald eagle, dies
USA Today Network Chad Gillis , The News-Press, Fort Myers, Fla.
It's the end of an eagle era.
Ozzie, one-half of internet sensation couple Ozzie and Harriet, died Wednesday, according to the Center for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel Island, Fla.
Ozzie and Harriet are thought to have first nested in Fort Myers, Fla., in the early 1990s. That timeframe would make Ozzie and Harriet 25 years old or older, and the average lifespan of an eagle in the wild is about 20 years.
Hundreds of comments had been posted within minutes of the announcement.
The hospital staff was not available for comment because "Ozzie was beloved patient and this is a difficult time for staff and that spent countless hours caring for him."
A second male moved into Ozzie's territory earlier this year and is apparently Harriet's new mate. Bald eagles typically mate for life but will mate with another eagle if their partner dies or is missing.
Called by some eagle fans "The Frequent Visitor," the younger eagle apparently fought with Ozzie, sending the older eagle to the hospital for a second time this year.
Ozzie and Harriet have been watched by millions of viewers across the world in recent years, after a North Fort Myers family placed streaming video cameras near their nests.
Eagle mating season typically starts here in October, with any living hatchlings fledging the next spring.
See full story with photos at
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/09/30/ozzie-famous-bald-eagle-dies/73085216/
Also see Washington Post article with photos by Desiree:
Ozzie the bald eagle, a webcam celebrity for millions, dies fighting for his love
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