Bald eagle shot and killed in Arkansas; $5,000 reward offered

CHERRY VALLEY, Ark. - Wildlife officials in Arkansas are searching for the person who shot and killed a bald eagle.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission says a $5,000 reward is being offered to find the person responsible for killing the mature eagle, which was found dead in a road on Feb. 21.

“Shooting a bald eagle is an act of pure hate and discontent for what the magnificent creature stands for to us in Arkansas and across the country," said Col. Greg Rae, the chief of enforcement for AGFC. "It’s not an accident, it’s not a sport, it is a criminal act pure and simple, and one we will do all within our collaborative resources to solve.”

The killing of a bald eagle is a violation of the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Violators face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.

Anyone with information involved in this case is encouraged to contact the AGFC’s Stop Poaching Hotline at 800-482-9262. All calls to the hotline will be kept confidential.