Reward of up to $5,000 offered after bald eagle, 2 ravens poisoned, killed in Rhinelander

A reward is being offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the illegal poisoning of a bald eagle, and two ravens.

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered in this case.

According to a release from Fish and Wildlife Service officials, the birds were discovered on the shoulder of Pine Lake Road, north of Haven Lake in Rhinelander in July.

The eagle was found lying next to a dead raccoon, and the ravens were found in the adjacent ditch.

All three birds and the raccoon were sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon -- where it was determined the raccoon carcass was laced with the pesticide carbofuran and the birds ingested the carbofuran while scavenging on the raccoon.

Carbofuran is an agricultural pesticide used to kill insects, mites and nematodes and is often marketed under the trade names Furadan and Curaterr.

Carbofuran is extremely toxic to birds, fish and bees.

Bald eagles and ravens are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Additionally, bald eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Violations of these statutes carry maximum criminal penalties of up to $100,000 and/or one year in federal prison.

Anyone with information concerning these birds is asked to call the Fish and Wildlife Services' Office of Law Enforcement in Madison, Wisconsin at 608-221-1206, extension x15.