S e c r e t s

Natural history and facts about the bald eagle are inscribed on this highly detailed figurine. This stately bird of prey has been the national symbol of the United States since 1778. Two hundred years later, in 1978, the bald eagle was listed as an endangered species. DDT, a pesticide, caused much of the decline. Once banned (hence the slash on the carving) the population of eagles and other birds rebounded. A heart concealed among the feathers indicates that bald eagles mate for life. On the interior is a fish, the favored diet of bald eagles. “AK” stands for the state of Alaksa, where half of the bald eagles worldwide live. “40” on the lid represents the date – 1940 – when the Bald eagle Protection Act was implemented.