Bald Eagle Killed
Wayne County Conservation Agent Hayley Honeycutt is asking for public assistance regarding an eagle death outside of Williamsville, near the Markham Springs Recreation Area. The juvenile bald eagle was located in a field off of 49 Highway on Friday, Dec. 8, 2017. It had been shot in the chest.
Bald eagles are protected under the Bald and Gold Eagle Protection Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Lacy Act.
“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668c), enacted in 1940, and amended several times since then, prohibits anyone, without a permit issued by the Secretary of the Interior, from “taking” bald eagles, including their parts, nests, or eggs. The Act provides criminal penalties for persons who “take, possess, sell, purchase, barter, offer to sell, purchase or barter, transport, export or import, at any time or any manner, any bald eagle … [or any golden eagle], alive or dead, or any part, nest, or egg thereof.” The Act defines “take” as “pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb.”
A violation of the Act can result in a fine of $100,000 ($200,000 for organizations), imprisonment for one year, or both, for a first offense. Penalties increase substantially for additional offenses, and a second violation of this Act is a felony.” (USFWS)”
If anyone has additional information about this case, please contact your local conservation agent or Agent Hayley Honeycutt at 573-576-8533 or Hayley.Honeycutt@mdc.mo.gov. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may also call Operation Game Thief at 800-392-1111.
Very Sad to hear of the shooting of this Iconic American symbol. In England we are facing similar problems, however many of our protected raptors are being totally wiped out by shooting of red grouse moorland.