REWARD JUMPS TO $20,000 IN LOUISIANA BALD EAGLE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

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Conservation groups and wildlife agencies have increased the total reward to $20,000 for information leading to a conviction in the illegal shooting death of a bald eagle in southern Louisiana.

 

The Center for Biological Diversity added $13,000 to previous contributions from Humane World for Animals ($3,500), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($2,500), and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (up to $1,000) to help bring the perpetrator to justice.

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Key Details of the Investigation:

• Location & Discovery: On December 5, 2025, agents responded to reports of an injured bald eagle near the intersection of Robert Road and Wilmer Road near Erath, in Vermilion Parish.

• Fatal Injuries: An examination confirmed the bird had suffered a fatal gunshot wound and succumbed to its injuries shortly after discovery.

• Federal Laws & Severe Penalties: Bald eagles are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Violations carry criminal penalties of up to a $250,000 fine and two years in federal prison.

• A Vital Habitat: Louisiana hosts over 350 year-round breeding pairs and serves as a vital winter nesting area for roughly 2,900 arriving pairs each fall, making coastal parishes like Vermilion crucial for the species’ ongoing recovery.

 

How You Can Help (24/7 Anonymous Hotlines)

If you have any information regarding this illegal shooting, please contact authorities immediately:

• Louisiana Operation Game Thief Hotline: Call 1-800-442-2511

• tip411 Program: Text LADWF along with your tip to 847411, or use the free “LADWF Tips” mobile app. Tipsters can remain anonymous upon request.

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Protecting Our Heritage

The recovery of the bald eagle is one of the greatest conservation success stories in North American history. Allowing acts of illegal poaching to go unpunished threatens the progress built over decades of habitat protection, law enforcement, and public care.