Purpose: The purpose of this amendment is to make a minor correction to the policy by removing a cross-reference that requires a chain-of-custody procedure. Chain of custody is only required for items being sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory and is not applicable to this chapter.
Action: Strike the cross-references to 448 FW 1 in sections 2.5B and 2.5B(3).
2.5 How do officers package and ship eagle carcasses, parts, and feathers to the Eagle Repository?
A. Officers should wear proper personal protective equipment for handling items that may be contaminated.
B. Officers should properly package eagle carcasses, parts, and feathers to prevent damage by following the guidelines below and the guidelines found in 448 FW 1.5 through 1.7:
(1) Select a sturdy box of appropriate size to hold the number of eagles being shipped and to allow adequate room for the length of feathers. Officers may also use an appropriately sized cooler. The Eagle Repository will return coolers on request. Officers may contact the Eagle Repository to get shipping containers designed to hold four to five eagles. Officers shipping fewer than four eagles should use a small box or cooler.
(2) Officers must not bend wing or tail feathers. Feathers damaged in transit to the Eagle Repository are unusable and the Repository will discard them.
(3) Freeze all carcasses before you ship them (also see 448 FW 1.7).
(4) Place eagles in double plastic bags to prevent leakage and avoid tying the bag too close to the tail feathers.
(5) Line the bottom of the box and fill the remaining space with packing peanuts or bubble wrap to prevent damage and reduce thawing. Pack with shredded paper to absorb any leakage.
(6) Use blue ice packs. The Eagle Repository will return them on request.
(7) Do not combine items that should be shipped to the Property Repository with items sent to the Eagle Repository.
(8) Ship packages overnight mail Monday through Wednesday only. The officer who ships the eagle should track the shipment.