Thunder, the longtime American bald eagle ambassador, has died at age 31 after years in the care of Moccasin Lake Raptor Sanctuary in Clearwater, where she appeared in education programs.
Thunder was rescued as an eaglet in 1995 after being shot by a poacher near Sebring. The attack killed her sibling and severed her right optic nerve, leaving her blind in that eye. She later laid an egg at age 9, confirming she is female.
Thunder became known in the Tampa Bay community as an outreach bird, visiting school groups and events as an educational ambassador…