Sizeable rewards offered in bald eagle case
News Release
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Media contact: Stan Kirkland, 850-265-3676
Two agencies are offering rewards for information
that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot a bald
eagle Oct. 15 in Fort Walton Beach.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) is offering a reward of up to $1,000 through its
Wildlife Alert Reward Program for information leading to the arrest
of the person who shot the eagle. The Wildlife Alert number is
888-404-FWCC (3922).
Separately, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS) can pay a reward up to $2,500 under the federal Bald Eagle
Protection Act if information leads to the arrest and conviction of
the shooter. The FWS law enforcement number is 352-429-1037.
The mature eagle was found dead with a bullet wound
to its neck in a yard at 2nd Avenue and Beachwater Drive. It was
initially believed the eagle died after flying into a power line.
However, Dr. Natalie Dyson at St. Francis Veterinary Center in
Navarre examined the bird and discovered the bullet wound.
"Right now we need someone to come forward and
report whoever did this," said Lt. Keith Clark, FWC area
supervisor. "The caller can collect a nice reward, assuming the
information pans out."
The eagle died clutching a coot, a water bird it
apparently had just caught.
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