‘Active’ bald eagle nest ‘illegally destroyed,’ Texas officials say. Suspect wanted
Two bald eagles sat atop of a nest on private property in Sherman, Texas. Five days later, the eagles were gone and the nest was “illegally destroyed,” officials said.
Now more than a year later, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is searching for the person responsible for destroying it. They’re also offering a $1,500 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible, according to an Aug. 14 news release.
On Feb. 15, 2023, a concerned person reported there was an “active” bald eagle nest on private land being developed into a subdivision. A Texas game warden verified the nest existed on the property and saw two bald eagles using it.
Officials returned on Feb. 20, 2023 to find the nest destroyed, according to the news release.
Destroying an eagle’s nest, among other violence and disturbances toward bald eagles and their habitats, is a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Criminal violations of these acts are punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine, officials said.
Those with information about the nest are asked to call the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in Fort Worth at 817-334-5202 or the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-792-4263.
Sherman is about a 65-mile drive north from Dallas.
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 1:24 PM with the headline "‘Active’ bald eagle nest ‘illegally destroyed,’ Texas officials say. Suspect wanted."
