The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for the January shooting of a bald eagle in Ogemaw County, Mich.
The wounded eagle was recovered near Clear Lake Road, in Klacking Township, north of West Branch, in Ogemaw County, Mich. The eagle is currently being treated at the Wildlife Recovery Association rehabilitation facility near Midland, Mich., but the severity of the injuries will likely prevent the eagle from ever being released back into the wild. Investigators believe the shooting occurred around January 30, 2006.
The shooting is being investigated by the Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Anyone with information concerning the shooting of the bald eagle is urged to call Special Agent James Fuller with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Bay City, Mich., at 989-686-4578 or the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Report all Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800.
Bald eagles are protected by several federal wildlife protection laws including the Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Violations of these laws carry maximum criminal penalties of up to $100,000 fine and/or one year in prison.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
