Two bald eagles found shot and killed by side of the road, Texas game wardens say
_fitted.png "Two bald eagles were shot and killed in Texas and wildlife officials are offering a reward for information.")
Two bald eagles were shot and killed in East Texas and game wardens are offering a reward to find out who did it.
The eagles were found dead in an open field beside County Road 283 in Nacogdoches County, state wildlife officials said in a Nov. 16 news release.
Game wardens believe the birds were shot on Oct. 28 and a reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-792-4263.
It’s against federal law to kill a bald eagle, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and if convicted of doing so, can result in a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The bald eagle — also known as an American eagle — is a national symbol in the United States going back to 1782.
Strong protections were put in place for the iconic bird of prey after they nearly went extinct several decades ago, McClatchy News previously reported. In 1963, there were only 417 nesting pairs left in the lower 48 states.
Due to preservation efforts, there are now over 71,000 nesting pairs, the USFWS announced in 2021.
This story was originally published November 16, 2022 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Two bald eagles found shot and killed by side of the road, Texas game wardens say."