Workers at an Ontario gold mine recently had an unexpected visitor hanging out at their project. He quickly became popular amongst the crew.
In September, employees at Iamgold Corp‘s (TSE: IMG) (NYSE: IAG) (FRA: IAL) Côté Gold Mine near Gogama noticed a young bald eagle that refused to leave. They monitored its movements and alerted the environment department when the bird stayed longer than a day.
The team reached out to Turtle Pond Wildlife Centre in Sudbury. Rescuers found the juvenile male had become habituated to humans. He showed no natural fear of people, which exposed him to dangers from vehicles and machinery while creating potential risks for workers. Experts decided he could not return to the wild.
Local Mattagami and Flying Post First Nations suggested naming him Takoda, meaning “friend to everyone” in Western Sioux. On Jul. 11, he was transferred to the Toronto Zoo where he will be serving as an ambassador animal. Keepers are training him on simple tasks, such as stepping onto scales and onto a gloved hand while he enjoys regular baths and chewing on bones. He is slowly meeting guests in the facility’s Discovery Zone.
“While Takoda has found a great new home here at your Toronto Zoo, he is a powerful reminder to not feed wildlife, even if you have the best of intentions,” the Toronto Zoo said in a social media post.
“Takoda will become an ambassador for wild eagles and one of the best rules you can follow to help protect wildlife is to admire from afar!”
IAMGOLD’s Côté Gold Mine where the bird was rescued reached commercial production in 2024 after unexpectedly high costs and delays during start-up. The mine has since contributed to steadier results for IAMGOLD.
In early 2026 the company improved its balance sheet considerably. It moved to a near net-cash position and increased available liquidity to over US$1 billion as of Mar. 31. Strong cash flow from Côté, supported by higher gold prices, made this progress possible.
IAMGOLD used part of these gains to repay US$100 million of debt and repurchase US$260 million of shares in the first quarter alone. An expansion study for Côté is expected later in 2026. The company continues to balance production goals with environmental considerations on traditional Indigenous lands.
Takoda’s journey from mine grounds to zoo ambassador adds a memorable footnote to the operation’s current success story. The team at the Toronto Zoo says he is comfortably settled into his new home.
Takoda when he arrived in Toronto. Photo credit: Toronto Zoo
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