In a tragic incident, 13 bald eagles were found dead in a field on a farm in Federalsburg, Maryland. As the national bird of the United States, the bald eagle is protected by law.
So, it was heartbreaking to see the largest die-off of the protected birds in over 30 years. An investigation was immediately launched to determine what happened, as it was suspected that humans were behind the death of the birds.
The bodies of the deceased birds were intact, but their wings were splayed out and their talons clenched. The ages of the 13 birds varied from very young to adult eagles. More bald eagles were found in another field nearby, disoriented and sick. While two eagles were successfully treated, three others ended up dying. The death of these birds was a big mystery, but it was immediately suspected that humans were behind it, most likely by way of poisoning.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police posted on their Facebook page asking for help in solving the mystery.
“It is the largest concentration of dead bald eagles in Maryland in three decades. The investigation is a joint effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There’s a $10,000 reward being offered for information leading to the resolution of this incident.”
The reward was later increased to $30,000 for information leading to a conviction, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, American Bird Conservancy, and several other charities chipped in, hoping to bring the guilty party to justice.
Years after the death of the eagles, the results of the necropsy have finally come to light. Someone used carbofuran, one of the most toxic known pesticides which the Environmental Protection Agency banned in 2009, to poison the birds.
Carbofuran is used to fight a species of aphids that ravage soybean crops across the country. Farmers fought to lift the ban on this pesticide, but it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2011. The chemical is highly toxic to birds and causes diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and prompt glands to secrete fluids, causing animals to “drown in their fluids.”
“This chemical is dangerous for humans and animals,” the radio station WNAV wrote in a post on Facebook after filing a Freedom of Information request, obtaining, and exposing the test results. “We’re hopeful that people will look around their property (especially farm owners) to ensure there isn’t any still around. And let their neighbors know to do the same.”
Federal investigators say other animals were also found dead in the area, including a raccoon carcass that appeared to have been ravaged by raptors. It’s possible that the raccoon found and consumed an old supply of carbofuran, died, and the eagles fed on the carcass. In turn, they would have been poisoned by the toxin.
The death of the 13 bald eagles was a tragic event and serves as a reminder of how important it is to take care of the environment and the animals that live in it. Farmers play an essential role in our society, and it is vital that they are held accountable for any actions that harm wildlife. Poisoning animals with toxic pesticides is not an oversight, and it is unacceptable. We must do everything we can to protect our wildlife and preserve our environment.
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Sources: Taphaps, The Washington Post, Annapolis Patch, WNAV
