Anhinga found shot on side of road in Florida preserve forcing ‘humane euthanasia’
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — An anhinga was found shot on the side of a remote road in Big Cypress National Preserve near Miami with a fractured left wing, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said.
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After a physical exam and radiographs, the animal was determined to have been shot. Due to the severity of its fracture, they said humane euthanasia was their only option.
“It is beyond heartbreaking to know the anhinga was a gunshot victim in such a wild, remote area like Big Cypress National Preserve,” the conservancy said in a statement on Facebook.
Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it’s illegal to intentionally kill, capture, sell, trade, or transport protected migratory birds without prior authorization.
Credit: Conservancy of Southwest Florida / LOCAL NEWS X /TMX Credit: Conservancy of Southwest Florida / LOCAL NEWS X /TMX
“While there may be a legal hunting season for some species of birds, shooting the anhinga broke both state and federal laws,” the conservancy added.
Anyone who sees someone shoot a bird or knows someone involved in these illegal activities can report them to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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