Bald eagle shot and stuffed in a bucket
Federally protected bird appears to have been shot at close range and left on the side of a dirt road
Officials are offering a $2,500 reward to help find the person(s) responsible for shooting a bald eagle at close range and discarding it in a bucket.
Officials are offering a $2,500 reward to help find the person(s) responsible for shooting a bald eagle at close range and discarding it in a bucket.
Maine Game Warden Alan Curtis “was acting on a tip when he found the bird on Memorial Day” near a dirt road in Maine, reports USA TODAY.
Disrespectful and Malicious Killing
Bald eagles are a federally-protected species, so the person(s) could face a fine of up to $100,000 and/or spend a year in prison, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Penalties increase for subsequent offenses and can include felony charges,” as reported by USA TODAY.
Curtis confirmed it was not an accident, adding that an eagle’s 10-foot wingspan is “unmistakable.”
“The investigating game warden identified shot pellets at the scene and had the eagle X-rayed. The resulting X-ray highlighted dozens of shotgun pellets within its body,” the Maine Warden Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wrote Friday in a public Facebook post. “Due to the condition of the eagle, game wardens believe it was killed several weeks ago.”
The Feds Want Answers
Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Maine Operation Game Thief is offering an additional reward of $1,000.
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Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the bird’s killer(s) is encouraged to contact one of the following:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement: (207) 469-6842
Operation Game Thief: (800) 253-7887
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