A wounded bald eagle died shortly after being discovered on a property on Scheuber Road Monday afternoon.
Property owner Joe Wiley said a neighbor discovered the wounded animal in a rhododendron around 3 p.m. Monday. While wounded in the wing, the bird showed faint signs of life before dying around 3:40 p.m.
According to Wiley, he contacted the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Monday afternoon, though as of Tuesday, the agency had not responded. According to Wiley, the Chehalis Tribe took possession of the animal Tuesday afternoon and planned to bury the bird during a ceremony later that day.
According to Wiley, the eagle had a “nasty wound” in the right shoulder and appeared as if it had been shot.
Bald eagles are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, both laws prohibit killing, selling or harming eagles, their nests or their eggs.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act can result in a fine of up to $100,000 or imprisonment of up to a year, with penalties increasing for additional offenses.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington has an estimated 6,000 bald eagles.
