Home / Environment / Eagle Slain: Investigation Underway in Westmoreland
Eagle Slain: Investigation Underway in Westmoreland
1 Sep
Summary
- Juvenile bald eagle found dead from gunshot in Westmoreland County.
- Investigation launched after pellet found lodged in the eagle's wing.
- Conservation efforts have significantly increased bald eagle populations.
An investigation is underway in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, following the death of a juvenile bald eagle. The bird was discovered on August 25 along the Westmoreland Heritage Trail near Beaver Run Reservoir. Game wardens responded to a report of an injured eagle and found it deceased before it could be transported for rehabilitation.
A necropsy revealed a pellet lodged in the eagle's wing, with evidence of advanced infection suggesting it was shot more than a week prior. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking information from the public regarding this illegal killing. Bald eagles, once critically endangered due to factors like habitat loss and DDT contamination, have seen a remarkable recovery, increasing from just three nesting pairs in Pennsylvania in 1980 to over 270 by 2013.
