By By Caroline Leopold Jul 6, 2015 in Environment America's oldest bald eagle was hit by a car and killed in New York. The eagle had been introduced to the wild when the species was on the brink of extinction in the 1970s. The male bird was known by its tag: Eagle 629-03142 had been a veteran of a successful conservation effort to repopulate New York with eagles. A motorist who witnessed a car hitting the bird called to report the accident, following instructions on the eagle's tracking band. The call was made to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which oversees the eagle program. DEC officials told News Day that vehicle accidents are a leading cause of eagle deaths, claiming the lives of about 30 percent of them, according to the DEC.. Hatched in Minnesota in 1977, the bird was relocated to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York and remained in the state for the rest of his unusually long life. Eagles in the wild generally live 15 to 20 years. Habitat destruction, illegal hunting and the pesticide DDT were the While DDT was banned in 1972, residual pesticides still caused harm to the eagle population. In 1974, only 791 breeding pairs of eagles lived in the lower 48 states. The single pair of eagles that were capable of breeding in New York failed to reproduce. Researchers observed that the birds would accidentally smash their brittle eggs. Biologists apply "hacking" to save a species Biologists used a novel strategy plan to save New York’s eagles from probable extinction. The eagle, known as 03142, was a few weeks old when he was taken to the New York refuge along with eaglets from other states. The biologists did not want the baby birds to imprint on humans, so they used a low-contact technique called "hacking" to get the birds to adapt to their new home. Conservation experts housed the eaglets in cages on stilts, called "hacking towers," and hid from the birds. The enclosures kept the birds safe, but also offered a panoramic view of Montezuma Refuge. The hope was that the birds would stay in their new home and they did. The last native pair of New York Bald Eagles died a few years later, but by then, the transplanted eagles were thriving. Eagle 03142 fathered many generations of birds and was a symbol of the conservation program's success. The nation's oldest Bald Eagle, 38, died after being hit by a car in Henrietta, New York. The bird was struck on a road, probably while feasting on a roadkill rabbit, according to an Audubon Society report The male bird was known by its tag: Eagle 629-03142 had been a veteran of a successful conservation effort to repopulate New York with eagles.A motorist who witnessed a car hitting the bird called to report the accident, following instructions on the eagle's tracking band. The call was made to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which oversees the eagle program.DEC officials told News Day that vehicle accidents are a leading cause of eagle deaths, claiming the lives of about 30 percent of them, according to the DEC..Hatched in Minnesota in 1977, the bird was relocated to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York and remained in the state for the rest of his unusually long life. Eagles in the wild generally live 15 to 20 years.Habitat destruction, illegal hunting and the pesticide DDT were the main threats to Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states. DDT had been introduced after World War II to control mosquitoes and other insects. However, the pesticide contaminated waterways and the fish that dwelled there. Eagles ingested DDT-laced fish and that cause them to lay brittle eggs.While DDT was banned in 1972, residual pesticides still caused harm to the eagle population. In 1974, only 791 breeding pairs of eagles lived in the lower 48 states. The single pair of eagles that were capable of breeding in New York failed to reproduce. Researchers observed that the birds would accidentally smash their brittle eggs.Biologists used a novel strategy plan to save New York’s eagles from probable extinction. The eagle, known as 03142, was a few weeks old when he was taken to the New York refuge along with eaglets from other states. The biologists did not want the baby birds to imprint on humans, so they used a low-contact technique called "hacking" to get the birds to adapt to their new home.Conservation experts housed the eaglets in cages on stilts, called "hacking towers," and hid from the birds. The enclosures kept the birds safe, but also offered a panoramic view of Montezuma Refuge. The hope was that the birds would stay in their new home and they did.The last native pair of New York Bald Eagles died a few years later, but by then, the transplanted eagles were thriving. Eagle 03142 fathered many generations of birds and was a symbol of the conservation program's success. More about bald eagle, bald eagle killed, bald eagle dies, new york department of conservation bald eagle bald eagle killed bald eagle dies new york department ...