Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is seeking tips from the public in the shooting of a bald eagle that occurred earlier this month in Northglenn, a town just north of Denver.
CPW officers, Northglenn park rangers, and Northglenn Animal Control officers responded to an eagle on the icy shoreline at Croke Reservoir near W 104th Avenue and Huron Street on January 12th. The animal was captured and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
X-rays at the facility showed the eagle had been shot with a ball bearing, hitting the wing. Surgery was conducted to remove the metal projectile and the bird is now recovering at the rehabilitation facility.
Under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, bald eagles are both federally and state protected species. As such, the shooting or injury of one is illegal. CPW is seeking tips about the shooting from the public. Tips can be submitted to Operation Game Thief (OGT) at 1-877-265-6648 or game.thief@state.co.us.
Tips to OGT can be made anonymously. Additionally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be contacted at 1-844-397-8477 or fws_tips@fws.gov.
