Reward Offered for Identification of Person(s) Responsible for Manatee Death

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to any person who furnishes information which leads to an arrest, a criminal conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property, of any person(s) responsible for the death or relating to the death of a West Indian manatee in the vicinity of Ossabaw Island, Georgia around the second week of August.

Additionally, the Save the Manatee Club is offering a separate reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to the identification of the manatee’s killer(s) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is offering $1,000.

The manatee’s body was found on Wednesday, August 17, 2005, partially buried in wet sand on Bradley Beach which is located on the north end of Ossabaw Island. The manatee had been killed by a wound to the middle of its chest.

Anyone having information about the killing of this manatee is urged to call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement conducting this investigation at: 843-727-4707 x 211, the toll-free Turn In Poachers Hotline at 1-800-241-4113 or the Brunswick DNR Law Enforcement office at 912-264-7237. Callers may remain anonymous and be eligible for a total reward of up to $14,000 for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrator(s).

Manatees are protected under Federal law by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act as well as receiving State protection under the provisions of Georgia’s Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973.

Rewards for convictions of wildlife, fish or marine law violation of Georgia State law are offered by Turn In Poachers, Inc., a non-profit Georgia conservation organization.

(click on photo for 300 dpi copy)

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