Famed Auburn University Eagle in Early Stages of Heart Failure

Auburn University says its famed golden eagle Nova, also known as War Eagle VII, could be in the early stages of heart failure.

The university made the announcement Tuesday.

The 20-year-old male eagle for more than a decade soared above the crowd at university football games. He was sidelined from the pregame tradition after a 2017 diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, a chronic disease of the heart.

Dr. Seth Oster, faculty avian veterinarian for the college’s Southeastern Raptor Center, said a recent exam indicated the eagle could be in the early stages of heart failure. Veterinarians are adjusting medication dosages to try to treat the condition.

Aurea, a 5-year-old female golden eagle, and Spirit, a 23-year-old female bald eagle, have made pregame flights this season.

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