Phoenix, AZ — It’s not every day that you get the chance to interact with a pair of Bald Eagles—much less save their lives. But workers at our West Ready-Mix Plant in Phoenix did exactly that when they helped rescue a pair of 12-week-old baby eagles from an aggregate conveyor tail pulley.

The eaglets are part of a family of four that resides in a nest in one of the highest trees on the edge of the plant’s property. Arizona Game and Fish officials have been monitoring the babies since they were born and came onsite to rescue the birds. They believe that the eaglets landed in the pulley while they were learning to fly.

“It was an amazing experience to be so close to a pair of American bald eagle babies,” said Aggregate Superintendent Eric Serrano, who, along with Operations Manager Brett Spencer, helped the Game and Fish team in the rescue effort. “The Arizona Game and Fish officials were great to work with, and we were happy to do whatever we could to help these birds.

”As the National Emblem of the United States, the Bald Eagle is renowned as a symbol of independence and courage. At one time, this majestic animal was endangered, but numbers have soared under protection from wildlife-conservation programs.

Team members at the West Plant said it’s not unusual to see the adult eagles flying around—they’ve been spotted regularly around the plant for the past three years.

“These eagles have been living near the plant for a while, but it’s still an incredible sight whenever you see one in the air. I’m just glad the babies weren’t hurt and we were able to play a part in their safe return to the wild,” Spencer said.

CEMEX is dedicated to wildlife protection and land stewardship and has partnered with Bird Life, the world’s largest nature conservation network, for 10 years.

The company is also an active participant in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Wildlife Habitat Council’s (WHC) Monarch Partnership and currently maintains 18 sites in the United States and Mexico with Conservation Certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council. Visit cemexnature.com to learn more about CEMEX’s conservation efforts in the U.S. and around the world.

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries throughout the world. Its U.S. network includes 11 cement plants, 43 strategically located distribution terminals, 57 aggregate quarries and more than 270 ready-mix concrete plants.

Story compiled by CEMEX USA Communications Intern Beatriz Calderón