2nd bald eagle found shot dead in Indiana; $2,000 reward part of investigation

SHELBURN, Ind. (WISH) — For the second time this month, a juvenile bald eagle was found shot dead, Indiana conservation officers said.

Officers with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources found the bald eagle while responding to a call in northern Sullivan County near Shelburn, Indiana, according to a news release. They believe the bird was shot in early January.

Conservation officers found another bald eagle that had been shot dead in southern Vigo County on March 10. Shelburn is about 10 miles south of the Vigo County line.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Indiana Turn-in-a-Poacher, Inc. are offering a joint $2,000 reward to anyone with information leading to a conviction in the case. Anyone with information can contact DNR Law Enforcement Central Dispatch at 812-837-9536 or the tip hotline at 1-800-847-4367.

Bald eagles are not endangered species but are protected by federal law. According to a Fish & Wildlife Service webpage, penalties for killing a bald eagle include a maximum of five years and a $250,000 fine for felony convictions.