There will never be another selfie like this one. Instagram may as well close up shop after two twenty-something brothers enjoyed quite the majestic weekend during a hunting trip in Canada. Michael and Neil Fletcher were foraging near Ontario’s Windy Lake when they caught an unusual sight. The two quickly realized they were gazing upon a bald eagle with its foot caught in a trap. The bird was still alive, and the next several minutes turned into a rescue operation that was captured on video. As a bonus, the brothers took a selfie with the magnificent creature before setting him free. Naturally, the two Fletchers have also been fielding media calls about their adventure, so we’re getting the full story on how this operation went down.
When the brothers first discovered the bird, it tried to fly away whenever they approached. With several ravens circling above, they acted quickly and dropped a hoodie over the bird’s head. At that point, the bird calmed down and realized he was with friends, though the wily critter also clung to the trap for a few moments. Once the brothers accomplished their primary task of rescue, Neil thought a selfie was a good idea. And why not?
“I knew this would never happen again, so before we let it go, I told my brother Michael, ‘we should take a picture with it.’ The bird had its mouth open, but he never tried to fly or bite or do anything. It made it pretty easy [for us to] take a picture with it.”
Indeed. The brothers also posted these remarkable videos of the rescue and the moment when they freed the bald eagle back into the wild.
