Legal applicant
Lions of the Sky’s incorporation, bylaws, nonprofit status, officers, board and institutional responsibility.
Federal permit readiness
Prepared to apply as the legal nonprofit institution.
Lions of the Sky is preparing an organizational application for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Live Eagle Exhibition permit.
Federal standard
Bona fide public scientific and exhibition purpose.
Under 50 CFR 22.50, USFWS evaluates whether the applicant has adequate expertise, facilities and resources, and whether the permit is requested for bona fide scientific or exhibition purposes of a public museum, public scientific society or public zoological park.
USFWS guidance also calls for meaningful public access, caretaker experience, a recommendation from another federal eagle permittee, public programming and evidence of long-term capacity to house, feed and care for each eagle.
Current status: The organizational application is in preparation, supported by nonprofit records, caretaker experience, public-program history, care resources, references, state authority and required eagle acquisition or transfer documentation.
Evidence in practice
Care and public programming in practice.
Organizational qualifications
Core documentation and capabilities.
Public purpose
Conservation curricula, program descriptions, audiences, public access and explanation of why live eagles materially improve learning.
Personnel qualifications
Around 9,500 eagle-specific experience hours and growing, supported by training history, references and designated adult personnel.
Care and facilities
Housing, diagrams, materials, perches, sanitation, security, diet, enrichment and veterinary arrangements.
Transport and display
Containers, loading, travel, weather, audience separation, control, equipment and contingency procedures.
Continuity and resources
Funding, records, annual reporting, emergency caretakers, succession planning and long-term capacity.
Caretaker benchmark
Experience substantially beyond the federal recommendation.
USFWS currently recommends 500 hours over at least two years for work with glove-trained eagles in conservation programs.
The documented record is now around 9,500 eagle-specific hours and growing across zoo handling, public programs, husbandry, primary care, transport and specialized glove training.
See the detailed recordPublic programming
Open, substantive conservation education.
USFWS guidance calls for at least 12 publicly accessible gloved programs annually, while “open to the public” eligibility guidance also refers to public access of at least 400 hours annually.
Lions of the Sky documents public access and annual live-eagle programming through calendars, venue information and program records.
Current permit status
Current federal authority and organizational application.
Freedom and Magondo are currently cared for by Lions of the Sky caretakers under the active Live Eagle Exhibition permit held by Steve Chindgren, which was sponsored by Utah’s Hogle Zoo. Lions of the Sky is preparing a separate application in the nonprofit’s own legal name.
A separate organizational application is being prepared so Lions of the Sky can assume permit responsibility in its own legal name if approved.
Official reference
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — 3-200-14 Eagle Exhibition
Current application guidance, experience recommendations, public-program standards and ePermits access.