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Last updated on Monday, July 7, 2014
(GREENE CO.) - State and federal wildlife officials are seeking information into the shooting death of a Whooping Crane in December of 2013.
On Thursday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources TIP Advisory Board announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.
According to Conservation Officer Mike Gregg, the Whooping Crane was shot in southern Greene County along the White River south of Lyons.
Gregg says officials who had been tracking the bird electronically, discovered its remains after using an electronic signal emitted by a tag that had been placed around the Crane's Neck to eventually locate where the remains were hidden.
The Crane was part of an effort to re-establish a flock of the migratory birds. It was one of only 400 Cranes left. They are protected by the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Indiana Law.
Gregg says it was obvious someone had shot the bird and then buried it after realizing they had killed it.
The Crane was part of an effort to re-establish a flock of the migratory birds along a migratory path between Wisconsin and Florida.
Anyone has any information about the bird's death is asked to call Greene County, state or federal law enforcement officials.
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