A 50-year-old man from the RM of Hanover has been fined in connection to the shooting of a bald eagle, which is a protected species.
On Friday, December 8th, Manitoba’s Conservation Officer Service received a TIP (Turn In Poacher) regarding a bald eagle that had been shot and wounded near Grunthal earlier in the day.
Volunteers from the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre and a conservation officer from Beausejour responded to the call.
“The injured eagle was captured by the volunteers and transported to the animal rescue centre with a broken wing and bullet lodged in its chest area,” says a Provincial spokesperson. “The conservation officer spoke to a witness that had observed a person shooting a rifle in the area and who had found the injured eagle. The witness was able to provide a description of the truck that was involved in the offence which assisted the officer in the investigation. The officer located and interviewed the shooter of the eagle.”
The accused was charged under the Wildlife Act for hunting on private land without permission and kill or attempt to kill a protected species, total fines of $1,158. The high-powered rifle was seized by the officer.
Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre staff tried to save the bald eagle, but the province reports that it unfortunately succumbed to its injuries after two days.
Manitoba Conservation takes these crimes very seriously and encourages people to continue calling in tips related to such acts.
“The Conservation Officer Service is grateful to the concerned citizen who called the TIP (Turn in Poacher 1-800-782-0076) line with the valuable information, along with the great work done by the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.”
Bald eagles are usually only in Manitoba during the summer months, arriving in late winter and then they head south during November and December. Eagles are listed under the Wildlife Act as a Protected Species which means there are no hunting seasons for eagles.
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