This is the second large sting operation that I know of (I was a witness
for the first, here in the PNW) in which large numbers of eagles were being
killed for sale by Native Americans. I'd sign a petition in a second that
asked for a new law to make it illegal for *anyone* in this country to
possess new eagle feathers. All eagle feathers in possession of Native
Americans now could be marked electronically, and absolutely no more eagle
feathers could be put into circulation. Right now Native Americans get
*hundreds and hundreds and hundreds* of eagle feathers for ceremonial use
from the USFWS lab at Ashland, where all dead eagles go (museums just about
can't get them any more; religious/ceremonial practices and political
correctness take precedence over science), and that isn't enough; they have
to kill eagles for profit, too.

If there is a Native American (or non-native or non-American) reading this
who wishes to argue that this is all just A-OK, feel free to try. I'm
hopping mad about this!

Dennis Paulson

>Date: Sat, 23 Nov 96 16:24:52 EST
>From: "Todd TUCCI" <ttucci at audubon.org>
>Subject: US FWS Press Release / Eagles are being killed for profit
>
>Fish and Wildlife Service
>
>November 21, 1996 Anne-Berry Wade 505-248-6911
> 703-358-1949
> Lucinda Schroeder 505-883-7814
>
> EAGLES ARE BEING KILLED FOR PROFIT
>
> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agents Uncover Illegal Market
>
>Special agents from the Interior Department's U.S. Fish and
>Wildlife Service today carried out Federal search and arrest
>warrants in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, ending a 2-year
>undercover investigation into the killing and selling of bald and
>golden eagles, and other migratory birds. In all, approximately
>35 individuals and businesses are expected to be charged with
>selling protected migratory bird parts in a highly profitable
>illegal market.
>
>Posing as traders of Indian artifacts, undercover agents were
>able to infiltrate a commercial trapping ring. They were told
>that in one pueblo during last year's winter migration, more than
>60 eagles were intentionally killed either by being shot or
>caught in leg-hold traps baited with fresh meat. The agents
>located trap lines and were sold dead eagles with trap marks on
>their legs and feet. The Service decided to end this
>investigation, dubbed "Operation 4-Corners Feather Sales,"
>prematurely to prevent more eagles from being killed. Some of
>those eagles were offered for sale from $850-$l,000 each.
>
>"As the agency responsible for protecting this Nation's wildlife,
>we must put an end to the commercial killing of eagles and other
>migratory birds. We decided to move now to stop this slaughter
>to protect vulnerable eagle populations in the Southwest. By
>taking this action, we protect birds that are sacred to many
>Native American cultures", said John Rogers, acting director of
>the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
>
>Undercover agents discovered an illegal market for migratory bird
>parts in which whole eagle skins, wings, tails, and wing bones;
>whole hawks, wings, and tails; and owl wings were sold throughout
>New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Utah. The
>investigation revealed that the illegal feathers were being sold
>to make popular Native American-style items such as fans, Kachina
>dolls, and bustles. Many of these items were sold to trading
>posts, collectors, tourists, and individuals participating in
>pow-wows. Items being offered for sale were made with feathers
>from at least 25 different species, including eagles, hawks,
>kestrels, magpies, flickers, scissor-tailed flycatchers, and
>anhingas. These birds are all protected under the Migratory Bird
>Treaty Act. Most are native to the Southwest (the anhinga is a
>waterbird found in Florida and Louisiana).
>
>Eagles are also protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle
>Protection Act and the bald eagle is listed as a threatened
>species under the Endangered Species Act. Killing for profit in
>New Mexico makes the eagle population vulnerable as these birds
>migrate south.
>
>Illegal commerce in eagle feathers and migratory bird feathers is
>enormously profitable. In recent years, the increased popularity
>and demand for feathers has resulted in soaring prices. Compared
>to a similar case from 1988, the price of an intact golden eagle
>tail, which has 12 feathers, has quadrupled from approximately
>$l00 to $400. During this investigation, special agents learned
>that in today's market, a single golden eagle feather could sell
>for about $100; a red-tailed hawk peyote fan, $150; and an
>anhinga feather fan, $300.
>
>The popularity of Native American items made with migratory bird
>feathers has resulted in alarmingly high numbers of birds being
>killed for profit. For example, to make an eagle fan it takes
>the entire tail from one eagle. To make a single scissor-tailed
>flycatcher fan, it can take 25 birds.
>
>This case is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice,
>United States Attorney's Offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and
>Phoenix, Arizona. John J. Kelly, the United States Attorney for
>the District of New Mexico, congratulated the agents of the Fish
>and Wildlife Service on their superb investigative work. "The
>United States government has a strong interest in the
>preservation of these magnificent animals," Kelly said. "This
>kind of large-scale commercial trapping must end before the
>resource is depleted entirely."
>
>The evidence in this case will be forwarded to the U.S. Fish and
>Wildlife Service's National Eagle Repository near Denver,
>Colorado. Eagles are available to Native Americans by permit
>through the Repository. The Service receives nearly 2,000
>requests per year to distribute eagle carcasses, parts, and
>feathers to Native Americans for recognized religious, cultural,
>and ceremonial purposes.
>
>Congress has enacted three separate Federal laws that protect the
>eagle: the Bald Eagle Protection Act, amended to include the
>golden eagle in 1962; the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, amended to
>protect eagles in 1972; and the Endangered Species Act. These
>statutes make it illegal for anyone to take, possess, transport,
>sell, or purchase any eagles or eagle parts, including feathers,
>unless permitted to do so. The maximum penalty under the Bald
>and Golden Eagle Protection Act is one year imprisonment and a
>$100,000 fine, and under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 2 years
>imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Additional charges will be
>sought under the Lacey Act which carries a maximum penalty of 5
>years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
>
> -FWS-
>
>============================================================
>News releases are also available on the World Wide Web at
>http://www.fws.gov/~r9extaff/pubaff.html They can be reviewed in
>chronological order or searched by keyword.
>
>Questions concerning a particular news release or item of
>information should be directed to the person listed as the
>contact. General comments or observations concerning the
>content of the information should be directed to Craig
>Rieben (craig_rieben at mail.fws.gov) in the Office of Public
>Affairs.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
web site: http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html