CHESAW, Wash. — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is investigating an incident where two adult common loons and their chicks were shot.
WDFW said the common loons were shot by someone in Okanogan County near Chesaw, Washington. WDFW said non-governmental organizations are offering a $6,000 reward for information leading to convictions.
WDFW said officers responded to reports of multiple dead loons near Beaver Lake on the Colville National Forest the weekend of June 22. Officers recovered two adult loons and one chick, and WDFW said a second dead chick was reportedly seen in the lake earlier in the day.
WDFW said the illegal killing of a common loon is a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $500 per violation. WDFW also said there can also be a $2,000 penalty per bird assessed upon a conviction. The common loon is a state-sensitive species in Washington and is protected in the U.S. as a migratory, non-game species by state and federal law.
Anyone with information on what happened is asked to contact WDFW at 877-933-9847. You can also report what happened online at WDFW's website.
To learn more about common loons, go to the WDFW website.
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