Officials are seeking information to aid an investigation into the shooting of a juvenile bald eagle found Nov. 2, 2010, near Shell Point in Onset, a hamlet within the town of Wareham, Mass. The eagle was euthanized as a result of the injuries sustained from the shooting.
Special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Massachusetts Environmental Police officers are investigating the incident. The Service is offering a reward of up to $2,500 to individuals who provide information leading to a conviction under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Anyone with information should contact Special Agent Lee Schneckenberger with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement in Charlestown, R.I., at 401-364-9124 or the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075.
A local resident discovered the injured eagle on a beach near Shell Point and contacted Wareham Animal Control. The eagle was transferred to Tufts Veterinary Hospital, where an examination revealed fractures to its wing and hind leg. Unable to stand or fly, the eagle was euthanized several days later.
A juvenile bald eagle was shot in Vermont earlier this year and two bald eagles were found poisoned in Delaware last month. Bald eagles are protected by the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Maximum criminal penalties for violating the Eagle Act include a $100,000 fine and one year in prison. Until 2007, bald eagles were also protected under the Endangered Species Act.
