State and federal authorities are investigating the shooting of an endangered Key deer in Florida and are willing to pay $5,000 for information about the incident.
Officials discovered the injured deer Jan. 27, 2022, near Crane Boulevard on Sugarloaf Key. The deer was euthanized as a result of its injuries. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), is conducting a criminal investigation into the matter.
Key deer are protected under the Endangered Species Act, as well as Florida state law. Intentionally killing a Key deer is punishable by a maximum one year in federal prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Officials will pay $5,000 if information in this deer’s shooting leads to a conviction. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the FWC’s 24-hour Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922; they can remain anonymous. Tipsters also can email Tip@MyFWC.com or go online to MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert. They also can call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement at 786-236-2862.
For more information on Key deer, visit: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/mammals/land/key-deer/.
