The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is investigating the shooting of a bald eagle in Juneau, Alaska, and is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to a conviction of the person or persons responsible. On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, the Juneau Raptor Center was notified that there was a wounded bald eagle in the Klondike Way neighborhood off the back-loop road in the valley. The Juneau Raptor Center recovered the eagle, which had been shot in the lower leg and had a broken pelvis. The Juneau Raptor Center sent the eagle to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka where the eagle was euthanized due to the severity of its injuries. The eagle’s blood lead level, along with the injuries, indicate that it may have been shot several days prior to it being reported to the Juneau Raptor Center. Investigators are optimistic that someone in the local community will assist authorities in finding those responsible.
Bald eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, both federal wildlife statutes. Violations of these statutes carry maximum criminal penalties of up to $100,000 per person and up to one-year federal imprisonment.
Anyone with information concerning the shooting of the eagle is asked to call the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in Juneau at (907) 586-7545.
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