Two Honduran nationals are facing criminal charges in Nebraska after reportedly killing a protected bald eagle for the purpose of eating it, authorities say.
The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a suspicious vehicle in a private field near a wildlife management area around 4 p.m. Feb. 28, according to a press release from the department. Upon arrival at the scene, police made contact with 20-year-olds Ramiro Hernandez-Tziquin and Domingo Zetino-Hernandez and found the men had a dead North American bald eagle in their possession.
Two men were charged with misdemeanors after they entered a private property in Nebraska, found a bald eagle perched on a tree and shot it at close range before hauling the protected bird in their vehicle with the intent to eat it, the authorities said. https://t.co/Qm4Of9qpPs
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Though no longer endangered, bald eagles are protected under the 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which makes killing the bird an illegal offense. (RELATED: America’s Bald Eagle Population Faces Threat From Lead Poisoning, Study Shows)
Because neither Hernandez-Tziquin nor Zetino-Hernandez could allegedly speak English, officers reportedly communicated with the two men via a translation app, discovering the suspects believed the bird to be a vulture and had plans to clean, cook and eat it, according to The Washington Times.
“Did they or did they not know it was a North American bald eagle? I have no way of knowing. They are Honduran citizens,” Sheriff Unger told The New York Times.
The sheriff’s office contacted the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and took possession of the dead eagle. Authorities also took possession of the gun used to kill the bird, according to the press release.
Police charged both men with unlawful possession of a bald eagle, with Hernandez-Tziquin receiving an additional citation for not having a driver’s license, the press release continued. Both men could face additional, more serious charges as the investigation continues, the sheriff’s office added.