NEW ORLEANS — The reward for information leading to a conviction for the illegal killing of a bald eagle in southern Louisiana has been increased to $15,000, the Center for Biological Diversity said Wednesday. 

The previous amount — $6,000 — was offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency’s $6,000 reward consists of $2,500 from the Service, $2,500 from the Humane World for Animals and up to $1,000 from Louisiana Operation Game Thief.

“This cowardly killing of our national bird is unlawful, unacceptable and utterly un-American,” said Lindsay Reeves, a Louisiana-based senior attorney at the Center. “People in our state are sickened by this senseless tragedy, and I hope someone steps forward with information.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was notified of an injured bald eagle in Vermilion Parish near Erath on Dec. 5, 2025. The eagle was found at the intersection of Robert Road and Wilmer Road in a rural area near Lake Peigneur. Examinations showed that the eagle died from a fatal gunshot. 

Bald eagles are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, with violations of these laws carrying maximum criminal penalties of up to a $250,000 fine and two years in federal prison.

Anyone with information regarding the illegal killing of this bald eagle should call the Louisiana operation Game Thief hotline at 1 (800) 442-2511 or text 847411. The hotline and the tip411 program are monitored 24 hours a day. Upon request, the person supplying the information can remain anonymous.