Patrols up in New Mexico After Rare Species of Owl Killed
Source: Associated Press
Patrols up in New Mexico After Rare Species of Owl Killed
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTA FE, N.M. — Jul 10, 2016, 4:08 PM ET
More officers have been put on patrol in the Caja del Rio area near Santa Fe after the reported killing of a burrowing owl, a federal land management official said.
Such a killing is rare, and the incident is being taken seriously, Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Donna Hummel said. The species is among those protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported (http://bit.ly/2a0dE0L).
"There are lots of eyes and ears and people that care about wildlife here in New Mexico," Hummel said. "And (the shooter's) illegal actions are not going to go unnoticed."
Killing the protected owl could mean as much as six months in prison and a $500 fine, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/patrols-mexico-rare-species-owl-killed-40477124
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I did not know burrowing owls were rare; admittedly, I don't see a lot of them, but I thought that was just because they're so good at hiding. They're always one of my favorite wildlife sightings when I'm tromping around the hills here...
