Two bald eagles found shot in US

An American national symbol -- the bald eagle -- appears to be under attack in the state of Tennessee.

Two bald eagles have been found shot not far from the Cumberland Plateau area, a couple of hours east of Nashville, according to wildlife experts. Officials are offering up to USD 17,000 in reward money for information leading to those responsible. "We don't know what kind of mindset an individual would have to shoot the national symbol," says Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokesman Dan Hicks of the February killings. "It's really disturbing." While bald eagles have been taken off the endangered species list, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, both federal statutes, make killing these birds illegal. Conviction carries maximum penalties of up to USD 100,000 and/or a year in federal prison, according to John Rayfield, special agent for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Rayfield doesn't think the shootings were accidental, since it's difficult to mistake the majestic bird with its white tail and white head for anything else. "There are no birds that large that are legal to shoot now with a rifle," Rayfield said. "If someone said 'I accidentally shot it; I thought it was a vulture,' well, it's illegal to shoot a vulture too. If they said they thought it was a wild turkey, well, it's not turkey season." Rayfield said that 99% of the hunters he deals with are ardent conservationists, and provide him with a lot of information on the one percent "that don't do it right." "This person that shot the eagles, I wouldn't paint them as a hunter," Rayfield said. "There's no hunting season for an eagle. They are more of an eagle killer than an eagle hunter."