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Bald Eagle Beheaded, Declawed, Left On Trail
Hiker Finds Carcass; DOW Investigating
Christin Ayers, 7NEWS Reporter
POSTED: 2:42 pm MDT June 4, 2009
UPDATED: 10:55 pm MDT June 4, 2009
<SCRIPT src="/js/13260191/script.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><LINK href="/css/13260803/style.css" type=text/css rel=stylesheet><!--startindex-->BOULDER, Colo. -- The Colorado Division of Wildlife is trying to figure out who beheaded a bald eagle and left its remains on a hiking trail.
The bald eagle's talons and tail feathers had also been removed, according to a sheriff's office report released Thursday.
A hiker made the discovery while at Legion Park Hill last weekend. The eagle's carcass was wrapped in a red cloth and placed at the base of an evergreen tree on the north slope of Legion Hill, the sheriff's office said "You feel horrible about it, but it's more of a mystery than anything," said Kathleen Ryan, the hiker who stumbled across the bird's remains.
Peter Reshetniak, President of the Raptor Education Foundation said eagle talons and feathers are highly-sought after on the black market.
"It's just a revolting, deplorable act," he said. "What it brings to mind immediately was that this was a ritualistic killing or taking of an eagle to be parted out for use in the black market."
A Boulder-based Native American group called the killing "disrespectful."
It is against federal law to hunt, kill, capture, possess, sell, buy, ship, or carry the bald eagle or its parts, unless the person is a Native American or gets special permission.
Representatives with the Native American Rights Fund in Boulder said eagle feathers, talons and other body parts are sometimes used among Native Americans in religious ceremonies or to honor individuals.
David Bernie, who works for the fund said Native Americans have a deep reverence for the birds and poaching is looked down upon.
"In our culture and traditions, you respect life, you respect animals, you respect earth," he said.
Steve Moore, an attorney for the Native American Rights Fund, said the federal government has worked closely with the Native American community and preserves the bodies of eagles that have died naturally to be used for ceremonies.
The Division of Wildlife has no suspects in the investigation, but said the person who killed the bird may eventually brag about it to friends.DOW agents will perform an autopsy to determine the bird's cause of death.
The bald eagle is a national bird once protected by the Endangered Species Act. It was taken off the endangered species list in 2007. However, the bird is still protected by the
Under a Colorado law, the penalty for poaching a bald eagle is a $100,000 fine and up to a year in jail.
The Raptor Education Foundation is offering a $1,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved.<!--stopindex-->
Hiker Finds Carcass; DOW Investigating
Christin Ayers, 7NEWS Reporter
POSTED: 2:42 pm MDT June 4, 2009
UPDATED: 10:55 pm MDT June 4, 2009
<SCRIPT src="/js/13260191/script.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><LINK href="/css/13260803/style.css" type=text/css rel=stylesheet><!--startindex-->BOULDER, Colo. -- The Colorado Division of Wildlife is trying to figure out who beheaded a bald eagle and left its remains on a hiking trail.
The bald eagle's talons and tail feathers had also been removed, according to a sheriff's office report released Thursday.
A hiker made the discovery while at Legion Park Hill last weekend. The eagle's carcass was wrapped in a red cloth and placed at the base of an evergreen tree on the north slope of Legion Hill, the sheriff's office said "You feel horrible about it, but it's more of a mystery than anything," said Kathleen Ryan, the hiker who stumbled across the bird's remains.
Peter Reshetniak, President of the Raptor Education Foundation said eagle talons and feathers are highly-sought after on the black market.
"It's just a revolting, deplorable act," he said. "What it brings to mind immediately was that this was a ritualistic killing or taking of an eagle to be parted out for use in the black market."
A Boulder-based Native American group called the killing "disrespectful."
It is against federal law to hunt, kill, capture, possess, sell, buy, ship, or carry the bald eagle or its parts, unless the person is a Native American or gets special permission.
Representatives with the Native American Rights Fund in Boulder said eagle feathers, talons and other body parts are sometimes used among Native Americans in religious ceremonies or to honor individuals.
David Bernie, who works for the fund said Native Americans have a deep reverence for the birds and poaching is looked down upon.
"In our culture and traditions, you respect life, you respect animals, you respect earth," he said.
Steve Moore, an attorney for the Native American Rights Fund, said the federal government has worked closely with the Native American community and preserves the bodies of eagles that have died naturally to be used for ceremonies.
The Division of Wildlife has no suspects in the investigation, but said the person who killed the bird may eventually brag about it to friends.DOW agents will perform an autopsy to determine the bird's cause of death.
The bald eagle is a national bird once protected by the Endangered Species Act. It was taken off the endangered species list in 2007. However, the bird is still protected by the
Under a Colorado law, the penalty for poaching a bald eagle is a $100,000 fine and up to a year in jail.
The Raptor Education Foundation is offering a $1,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved.<!--stopindex-->
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