Teen Arrested In Bald Eagle Shooting

Bald eagle had eaglet in its nest

Texas Parks and Wildlife reports the arrest of a teen connected with the death of a bald eagle on Feb. 22. TPWD, along with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Harris County Sherriff’s Department acted on a tip, and found the eagle carcass in north Harris County. After a brief investigation, Texas game wardens arrested a 17-year-old Harris County teen. They charging the teen in connection with shooting the eagle with a high-powered air rifle.

Game wardens also charged the teen with hunting without landowner consent. After the shooting, the eagle’s mate remained near the nest, indicating the possibility of fledglings. State and federal wildlife officials became concerned about the health and well-being of any remaining eaglets in light of rising temperatures and because the dead eagle’s mate was not observed bringing food back to the nest.

Rescuers care for lone eaglet

On Feb. 23, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, TPWD, Center Point Energy, Harris County Flood Control District, and The Wildlife Center of Texas undertook a rescue effort to recover any remaining eaglets. Center Point Energy provided foresters capable of climbing the 100-plus-foot tree to gather any eaglets and bring them down to safety. Once at the nest, the forester observed one eaglet sitting quietly in the nest. He carefully removed the bird and carried it safely down the ladder

Rescuers took the 5-6 week old eaglet to The Wildlife Center of Texas. They discovered the eaglet suffered from dehydration and had not recently been fed. Rescuers gave the eaglet fluids and food, and it remained at the Center overnight. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will transport the eaglet to a Texas rehabilitation center where it will be cared for until it’s able to forage and care for itself, with the ultimate goal of releasing it back into the wild. —courtesy TPWD and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Murray Foubister flickr photo