Federal and state wildlife officers are investigating the poisoning deaths of two bald eagles in Iberville parish, Louisiana, last month. A reward of up to $11,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward of $5,000; The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are offering $5,000; and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Operation Game Thief program is offering $1,000.
On April 9, 2015, two bald eagles, four coyotes, one opossum and three black vultures were found dead in a field in Plaquemine, Louisiana. A pile of bait (meat and bones) with black granule spread across the top of it was also found in the field near the dead wildlife. All of the animals and bait were taken from the field. The two eagles were found very close to each other in the field, and investigators believe poison may have been placed to target coyotes.
“Poison is an indiscriminate killer,” said Sidney Charbonnet, Special Agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “It is extremely poor practice for nuisance animal reduction, as it doesn’t just kill the target species, it can take out whole segments of the food chain with secondary poisonings, as well as potentially killing pet dogs or cats who may consume the bait or the poisoned wildlife.”
Julia Breaux, Louisiana state director for The HSUS, said: “There are humane and effective methods for resolving conflicts with coyotes that don’t involve poisoning animals, which can cause significant suffering and a slow death. We’re grateful to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for their determination to find those responsible.”
For more information on humane solutions to problems with coyotes, visit humanesociety.org/coyotes.
LDWF is the lead agency and is being supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.
To provide information, contact Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Operation Game Thief’s toll free hotline at 1-800-442-2511, or text Operation Game Thief by texting LADWF and their tip to 847411, or provide leads to Sidney Charbonnet, Special Agent, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, in Lacombe, LA, 985-882-3756, sidney_charbonnet@fws.gov. Tipsters can also download the LADWF Tips iPhone and Android apps from iTunes and Google Play stores free of charge.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov/southeast.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated most effective by our peers. For 60 years, we have celebrated the protection of all animals and confronted all forms of cruelty. We are the nation’s largest provider of hands-on services for animals, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year, and we prevent cruelty to millions more through our advocacy campaigns. Read more about our 60 years of transformational change for animals and people, and visit us online at humanesociety.org.
Since 1993 the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, alone or in partnership with other conservation groups, has participated in the protection of more than 1.8 million acres of wildlife habitat in 39 states, and nine foreign countries, including 70 acres in Louisiana. On all properties owned by the Trust or protected by the Trust's conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.
Learn more about conservation easement , both here and abroad, we prohibit recreational and commercial hunting and trapping and restrict logging and development. The Trust's commitment to these principles will never change as we continue to assist caring landowners to make their property permanent, safe homes for wildlife. Join our online community at wildlifelandtrust.org.
