Nonprofit offers cash reward after bald eagle shot

HENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — A Bald eagle was shot in Henderson County on February 28. U.S. Fish and Wildlife & TWRA are seeking information on the person responsible.

Help Asheville Bears (HAB), a nonprofit organization helping prevent the illegal poaching and trapping of animals, announced they are offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Jody Williams, the founder of HAB says if anyone knows anything, now is the time to speak up.

“When we heard about that, we had to put one of our rewards on them. See, we protect bears and we fight for the bears and do bear education, all those kinds of things. We love our wildlife, so our rewards cover all different animals,” said Williams.

Williams says because the eagle was euthanized, this may now be considered a federal case.

“Everybody knows the bald eagle is the symbol of our country. So, that right there should be enough, but it is a federally protected species. This person needs to be caught and found,” said Williams.

He says just because something is legal, that doesn’t make it right.

Williams says without those animals, the ecosystems that exists can be threatened which in term, could lead to a harder life for humans.

“They’ll try to tell you, they’re targeted victims. Well, just cause something has a target that doesn’t mean you’re going to hit it. I mean, I think everybody knows that. So traps are indiscriminate and they can catch anything. I seen bald eagles, I seen owls, I seen tons of people pets lose their life or a limb because of somebody traps,” said Williams.

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