Killing of bald eagles in Oklahoma

Killing of bald eagles in Oklahoma



Feb 2007 - The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service is offering rewards for information leading 
to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for killing 
two bald eagles in eastern Oklahoma and one bald eagle in 
eastern Washington state. 
The bald eagle is America's national bird. Bald eagles are 
listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. They 
are also protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act 
and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, both of which make killing 
a bald eagle a federal crime. 
The Service is offering up to $2,500 reward for information in 
the eastern Oklahoma eagle deaths. The shooting of the two 
eagles is believed to be unrelated. 
One of the dead bald eagles is an adult whose carcass was 
recovered in Adair County near Westville, Oklahoma on January 
27, 2007. After examination, federal officials said a "clear 
bullet wound" was identified, indicating the bird was shot. 
The second eagle was an immature bird whose carcass was 
recovered at Sumners Ferry boat ramp on the Arkansas River, 
near Gore, Oklahoma on . An examination of 
this eagle by Service law enforcement revealed it had been 
shot. 
Service Special Agent Jerry Monroe said the eagle carcasses 
are being sent to the Service's forensics laboratory for 
further examination. It is possible that evidence such as 
bullet fragments will be recovered from the carcasses. 
Service investigators believe the perpetrators may have been 
seen. "We believe somebody in the areas where the bald eagles 
were killed has additional information that will help finalize 
this investigation," said Monroe. 
Anyone with information about this or any other bald eagle 
killings in Oklahoma should contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service law enforcement office at Edmond, Oklahoma at 
405-715-0617. Officials said people providing information may 
either remain anonymous or be eligible for the reward. 
Another adult bald eagle was found shot and killed January 23 
near Prosser in Benton County, Washington. 
State officials contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 
Office of Law Enforcement in Richland after road crews 
discovered the dead eagle along Griffin Road, south of the 
Johnson Road intersection. Forensic examination showed the 
eagle had been shot. 
This shooting is one of numerous eagle shootings in eastern 
Washington in recent years. 
Service special agents are investigating, and a reward of up 
to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to the 
arrest and/or conviction of those responsible.

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