An injured bald eagle that later died in Maine on Sunday was the sixth bald eagle found shot in the past six months in different states.
The latest casualty was discovered along the Androscoggin River in Peru where a passerby alerted authorities and cared for the eagle until a game warden arrived, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reported Wednesday.
The bald eagle later died, and X-rays revealed it had been shot.
Like the other incidents, local authorities asked for help in finding the person or persons responsible, and offered a $4,500 reward for information leading to a conviction.
Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940, the first criminal offense is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Also on FTW Outdoors: Hunter acts fast when charged by mountain lion
Other recently reported incidents:
On July 25, a bald eagle was found shot dead in Pennsylvania near Hope Cemetery in Elk Creek Township in Erie County, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
On Nov. 7, a bald eagle was found shot dead in southwest Oregon in Lower Cow Creek in Douglas County, according to the Oregon State Police.
On Nov. 22, a bald eagle found shot in the wing north of Paris, Missouri, was taken to the state’s Raptor Rehabilitation Project for treatment and observation, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. It was the only one of these six bald eagles that was reported recovering.
On Dec. 24, a bald eagle was discovered alive south of the White River in Lawrence, Indiana, but later died of its wounds, FOX59 reported.
On Dec. 30, a bald eagle was shot near Eagle Nest Island in the Tennessee River. Someone discovered the wounded eagle and took it to the North Madison Animal Hospital where it was determined its injuries were untreatable and it was euthanized, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
One recent conviction under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is an example of what can happen to those who are caught:
A West Virginia man was convicted in federal court for killing a bald eagle and sentenced to serve six days in federal prison, 11 months and 26 days of home confinement, and five years supervised probation; he must also forfeit the rifle used to kill the eagle and pay $3,301 in jail and court fees.
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.