Kayla, The Bald Eagle, Nearly Punched By Angry Fan: Police Arrest 34-Year-Old Man On Attempted Criminal Damage Charges


Kayla, an American bald eagle that is also Crystal Palace’s mascot, was nearly punched by an angry fan who targeted her after violence erupted at Palace’s Capital One League Cup match against Charlton Athletic at Selhurst Park on Sept. 23, Fox Sports reported. Police have arrested a 34-year-old man for attempting to attack the majestic bird of prey.

The identity of Kayla’s attacker was not made available but police arrested the man on Friday morning on suspicion of violent disorder and attempted criminal damage. The man remains in custody at a south London police station, awaiting further questioning, New York Daily News said, citing a previous report from Mirror Online.

Although the incident occurred last September, six more people were arrested earlier this week following an investigation into violence during and after the game. One man was charged while the other five were bailed, the report stated. Zach Ellis, a 29-year-old from Tower Hamlets, was charged with assault by beating and will make an appearance before a judge on December 10.

Kayla made her first appearance at Palace back in 2010 and has flown around Selhurst Park — a football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood — for several years. Kayla is a fan favorite and flies around the stadium before every one of Crystal Palace’s home games. Kayla has also made an appearance on the front cover of an album from the American rock band, Kings Of Leon.

According to the BBC, the 19-year-old bird is based at Eagle Heights sanctuary in Eynsford, Kent. She is from Canada but was brought to the U.K. after she became too aggressive to remain at her previous home, her owners said. The bald eagle is the only eagle unique to North America.

The bald eagle is not actually bald and its name derives from an older meaning of “white headed.” It is easily recognized due to white feathers on its head and tail. The bird is the proud, national symbol of the United States; although, it was on the verge of extinction a few years back.

For many decades, bald eagles were hunted for sport and to “protect” the fishing grounds. Pesticides such as DDT also wreaked havoc among eagles and other birds. These chemicals are deposited in fish, which make up most of the diet of the eagle. It is especially dangerous to eagles because it weakens the shells of their eggs and severely limits their ability to reproduce. Since the severe restriction of the use of DDT in 1972, the eagle population has surged dramatically. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took the bald eagle off its list of endangered species 20 years ago, and it was reclassified from endangered to threatened.

Although its population has grown in much of its territory, bald eagles are still more abundant in Alaska and Canada. These powerful birds of prey are exceptional hunters who often feed on carrion. They also won’t hesitate to get a meal by stealing prey from other animals. They live near the water, especially on coasts and lakes where fishing is plentiful, but also hunt and eat small mammals.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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