Navy SEALs in Afghanistan found themselves with a different kind of mission after a mishap in a rifle range, according to a feature on TimesUnion.com.

Early this month, an Afghan soldier hit a Steppe Eagle at Camp Scorpion in Afghanistan, where Navy SEALs were training Afghan soldiers. Navy SEALs took the injured bird, bandaged its wing, and took care of it while as it recovered.

The SEALs, however, are due to return to the United States in a couple of months, and they were unsure as to the fate of the eagle once they leave. In order to ensure the eagle’s survival, they opted to seek assistance from Pete Dubacher, who runs Berkshire Bird Paradise in Grafton, New York. Berkshire has taken in 20 wounded eagles over the past 30 years; it now serves as home to such eagles as Victoria, a bald eagle rescued from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, and another eagle that was mauled by a grizzly bear.

Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (Navy SEAL) Craig White sent an e-mail to Dubacher, writing in part: “I fear he will be killed soon unless rescued. He tries to fly, but cannot get off the ground. Its living conditions are the best with what we have, but not great. It is a cage the size of a small walk-in closet with rocks on the bottom and a shelf with a ramp.”

Dubacher will happily take in the injured bird, but there are issues with bringing the eagle to the United States, due to an international treaty that covers endangered species, as well as U.S. wildlife regulations.