Eagle Eye View

Webcams have been a boon to nature enthusiasts, who can see the behaviors of rare species remotely via the Internet and thus avoid disturbing the animals in their daily interactions with the environment or impeding socialization among members of family groups. And yet access to this seemingly unmediated gaze can also expose viewers to sites that they don't plan to see, which may remind them of the brutal character of the survival of the fittest. In "Webcam Users Watch As Eagle Attacks Santa Cruz Eaglets," a local news show reports on how online visitors who were expecting to peek at adorable little eaglets in a secluded nest instead saw an attempt on the young birds' lives in the "EagleCam" at Channel Islands Live. Fortunately, both birds seem to have survived the attack, but the pair is now being treated by veterinarians and will be off display for an undetermined period of time.