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OLD TOWN, Maine (AP) - A research group is conducting studies of bald eagles to determine the levels of environmental toxins in their systems and gain a better understanding of the overall health of the bird population.
As part of the project, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Steve Mierzykowski used a scalpel and medical scissors on Sunday to part a dead eagle's feathers and slice through its skin and flesh. A few well-placed snips and Mierzykowski removed the liver, placing it in a specimen jar.
The rest of the carcass will be shipped to a national repository for deceased eagles, but the liver is headed to a laboratory for scientific analysis.
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