Emily Chan
Last year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a $1,500 reward for information leading to a conviction for the illegal destruction of a bald eagle nest located north of Dallas, Texas.
Recently, the Center for Biological Diversity has increased the amount by $13,500, boosting the reward to a total of $15,000.
“I’m outraged by the destruction of this eagle nest, and the perpetrator needs to be brought to justice for harming America’s national bird,” Will Harlan, a senior scientist with the Center, said. “Whoever committed this cowardly act should be held accountable. Wildlife crime is utterly unacceptable, and I hope someone steps forward with information.”
The destruction of the bald eagle nest came to light after a concerned citizen made a report in February 2023. The nest was active and on private property that was undergoing development for a subdivision. A Texas game warden visited the location and observed two bald eagles sitting on the nest.
Days later, special agents with the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement conducted a site visit and discovered that the nest had been unlawfully destroyed. Bald eagles and their nests are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
These laws make it illegal to harm, kill, or disturb an eagle, its nests, and its eggs. Anyone found guilty of such acts will receive serious punishment, including two years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000.
Bald eagles live year-round in Texas, and they are the only eagles unique to North America. They have a wingspan of up to eight feet and can live in the wild for more than 30 years.
They mate for life and raise their young together. These pairs tend to use the same nests for many years, making the loss of the nest even more devastating.
The United States Congress chose the bald eagle as a symbol of the nation in 1782. At that time, there were likely as many as 100,000 nesting eagles in the country.
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