5K reward offered for information in shooting death of bald eagle in Vermont
By James Maloney & Michael Cusanelli
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BRIDPORT, Vermont (WPTZ) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to help track down the person or people responsible for killing a bald eagle in Addison County last month.
Officials are offering a $5,000 reward for information that can help them in their ongoing investigation after an adult bald eagle was found dead near East Street in Bridport on Oct. 15.
“Right now, we do not have a lot of information. We’ve done knock and talks in the area that’s surrounding residences,” Warden Detective Sergeant David Taddei said. “Basically, any leads that will generate a suspect for us, that’s what we’re really looking for.”
Investigators found metal pellets and wounds on the animal consistent with shotgun fire on the eagle’s body, and they were able to determine it had been shot to death.
A research band on the eagle’s leg allowed experts to determine that it had been first observed in Vermont in August 2006.
Peter Russell Perlee lives near where the eagle was shot and said the incident was reckless.
“It’s like breaking a window out of a house. You know, that kind of thing is just no reason for it. And I don’t know, I would say if you’re using a weapon of any sort, you need to be a little more careful,” he said.
The bald eagle is not only federally protected but also sacred in the Native community.
“They are held in very high regard. You know, to the degree that possession of eagle feathers is restricted to Native people in this country, and there are laws in place,” Elnu Abenaki member and Atowi Project director Rich Holschuh said.
“This is an egregious example of unnecessary taking of life. We can all agree that the bald eagle is a majestic and significant animal, but you don’t have to be Native to understand that,” he added.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department are jointly investigating the case.
Although bald eagles are no longer listed as endangered, they are still protected by both the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
The maximum fines for killing an eagle under these federal laws are $15,000 and $100,000, respectively.
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