Authorities are seeking the public's help as they investigate the shooting of a bald eagle found Sunday in the western Maine town of Peru.
Maine Warden spokesperson Corporal John MacDonald says the eagle was taken to a wild bird rehabilitation facility "where it was looked at, and also X-rayed, and that X-ray did reveal that there was evidence of it having been shot."
The eagle died at the rehab facility. MacDonald says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $2500 reward for information leading to conviction. Maine Operation Game Thief is offering an additional $2000.
MacDonald says Maine wardens investigate an eagle shooting about once a year. He says that while the bald eagle population in Maine is doing well and has been growing steadily over the past two decades, "they still are, you know, sensitive, and any incident like this we take very, very seriously."
