Michigan wildlife officials seek answers in deaths of five bald eagles in Upper Peninsula

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants information on the recent deaths of five bald eagles in the state’s Upper Peninsula.

The eagles were found dead on the Garden Peninsula, a part of the Upper Peninsula about 200 miles northeast of Milwaukee, between April 3 and April 17, state officials said.

Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement 1st Lt. Mark Zitnik said in a release Monday that the department “can confirm that the eagles did not die from natural causes, predators or vehicle collisions.” 

State officials did not specify their leading theories for what could have killed the birds, and 1st. Lt. Zitnik told MLive.com that environmental issues such as lead poisoning could also be ruled out. He told the news website that “we don’t know for sure that they were the targeted animal.”

Bald eagles are protected under both state and federal law. 

A first-time violation of 1940’s federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibits killing bald eagles among other similar acts, carries a penalty of up to $100,000 for individuals and up to $200,000 for organizations, along with up to a year in prison, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website.

Subsequent violations of the law are considered felonies, and have harsher penalties. Under Michigan law, the penalties include a stay in jail of up to 90 days, fines between $100 and $1,000 per eagle and paying $1,500 in reimbursement for each eagle, state wildlife officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call or text 800-292-7800. People who provide information leading to prosecutions and arrests in the case could be eligible for a cash reward. The Department of Natural Resources did not specify the size of the reward.