A person suspected of being a poacher in Pennsylvania has surrendered to authorities after reportedly shooting and killing one of a pair of bald eagles that a neighborhood adopted as a mascot, angering residents over the slaying of the beautiful bird.
The crime occurred back in May and for some reason, authorities won’t say who it is, refusing to release the suspect’s name publicly. Residents don’t even know if the culprit is male or female at this point or whether the person has actually been charged, according to Fox News.
The slaughtering of the bald eagle took place in Mount Pleasant Township, which is about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Police have released a surveillance image that appears to show a white SUV near where neighbors found the dead eagle in the proximity of the Cherry Valley Dam.
The bird was one of two adult bald eagles living in the neighborhood. The pair was adored by the local residents. They told Fox News Digital that the birds had hatched two eaglets just before the eagle was killed.
“Everybody in the community has a pair of binoculars on the window sill in their kitchen, and we’re all very protective of all of our wildlife in our lake,” Linda Carnevali, a resident of the Cherry Valley Lakeview Estates, asserted.
The pair of eagles had resided in the area for almost two decades, she sadly commented. They were almost always together except when protecting their clutches or newly hatched eaglets. One dutiful parent would always remain in the nest.
“So you always knew when you only saw one of them that there were some babies around,” Carnevali remarked.
Within days of the slaying of the bald eagle, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced in a statement that tips given them had led investigators to the suspected poacher, who “admitted to all aspects of the crime.” But they didn’t release a name and still haven’t done so.
NEW: Officials tell me an interview has been conducted with A PERSON OF INTEREST in connection with the DEATH OF A BALD EAGLE in Washington County on Friday. #WTAE pic.twitter.com/Tn52sUs73B
— Marcie Cipriani (@MCipriani_WTAE) May 15, 2023
The Mount Pleasant Twp Police Chief & the State Game Warden confirm that THE BALD EAGLE WAS SHOT in Washington County Friday and that A MAN TURNED HIMSELF IN this morning and CONFESSED TO “ALL ASPECTS” OF THE BALD EAGLE’S DEATH. Charges are pending #WTAE
— Marcie Cipriani (@MCipriani_WTAE) May 15, 2023
“We wanted to thank the community and public for all the sharing of the posts as we believe this gained the attention of the person who did surrender for questioning,” Mount Pleasant police stated, according to the Observer-Reporter.
But residents want answers and none seem to be forthcoming.
“We’re devastated that this would happen, and we don’t understand why somebody would do this,” Carnevali told Fox News Digital in an interview. “And… we don’t understand why this is so secretive.”
It is illegal to shoot bald eagles which are a protected species. The national symbol’s numbers have been recovering across the country decades after being put on the endangered species list, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Hard to understand what would motivate someone to kill these majestic birds.
— Oscar Perez (@OscarPe03368240) July 8, 2023
The majestic birds face a number of threats to their existence including habitat destruction, poaching, and the contamination of their food supply with chemicals and pesticides, according to federal officials.
Authorities advise birdwatchers to stay at least 100 yards away from bald eagles.
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