Bald Eaglets Released Into Foothills of Great Smokies Named By Miley & Billy Ray...

Bald Eaglets Released Into Foothills of Great Smokies Named By Miley & Billy Ray Cyrus

American Eagle Foundation Continues Efforts To Recover & Protect
Eagles
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.--(Business Wire)--
Two 14-week old bald eaglets named "Hope" and "Tennessee" by
Hannah Montana TV stars Miley Cyrus and her father Billy Ray were
released by the non-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF) from an
artificial nesting tower located on Douglas Lake in the foothills of
the Great Smoky Mountains. A group of Miley's fans was on hand to help
set the eagles free.

"The birds flew majestically while discovering their newfound
freedom right after the nesting tower door was opened by several of
Miley's East Tennessee fans," said AEF founder and President Al
Cecere. "This is yet another step in our efforts to fully bring back
eagles to our nation's lands, waterways and skies."

The young eagles named by the Cyruses were hatched from
non-releasable parents earlier this spring at the AEF's United States
Eagle Center at the Dollywood family adventure park in Pigeon Forge,
TN. Five other captive-hatched eaglets were also released.

A song titled "Wake Up America" appears on Miley's new record
album ("Breakout") that expresses the singer's feelings about
protecting our Earth and America's natural resources:

-0-
*T
The Earth is calling out
I wanna learn
What it's all about

Everything I read
Is global warming,
Going green

Wake up America
We're all in this together
It's our home
So let's take care of it
*T

To date, 313 captive-hatched and translocated bald eaglets have
been released in Tennessee since the early 1980s - with 95 eaglets
released at the Douglas Lake location.

There are presently an estimated 77 successful wild nests in
Tennessee that fledged about 135 young last year. The state had no
known occupied eagle nests in the early 1980s.

"Although the bald eagle was delisted from Endangered Species Act
protection in June 2007, America's living symbol isn't out of the
woods yet," said Cecere. "The bird's fight for future survival will be
an on-going process."

According to the AEF, it will cost millions of dollars to monitor
and protect eagle nests on private lands nationally for the remainder
of this decade and beyond.

The conservation group hopes to raise an initial $10 million from
the general public for its American Eagle Fund endowment by 2009 - to
help monitor and protect the bald eagle for future generations.

A special United States Mint commemorative eagle coin set that
went on sale in January 2008 has already raised over $6 million for
the Fund, and could potentially raise over $10 million by the end of
the year with the public's support (www.usmint.gov). The coins
celebrate the eagle's successful recovery to America.

"It's the responsibility of every American to participate in
keeping this precious national treasure flying strong and free
forever," said Cecere.

For more information, photographs or video, contact the American
Eagle Foundation at www.eagles.org. Email Al Cecere, AEF President at
savetheeagle@aol.com or call 865-256-0372.

American Eagle Foundation
Al Cecere, President, 865-256-0372
savetheeagle@aol.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008