HUNTINGDON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers of Raytown Lake announced on Wednesday a Bald Eagle fledgling from the Raystown Dam was found dead.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers say they found fishing lure/lines in it’s beak and talons.
They add that this is not an isolated incident, and every year, their rangers respond to entangled wildlife at Raystown.
“We can all prevent wildlife injuries and deaths caused by improperly discarded fishing line and hooks; the solution to this problem is to change our behavior,” the group said in a post on Facebook.
They say, you may not realize the damage you’re causing when you let a fishing hook or line stay in the water.
“That line restriction ends up injuring that animal even further and if they can’t escape, if they can’t fly, then they’re stuck there and so they end up either starving or they get dehydrated severely,” Alicia Palmer, Natural Resource Specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said.
They want to remind those who fish to properly dispose of their equipment, including fishing lines, hooks, lures, or bait.
The Corp of Engineers say “If you find an animal that is entangled in fishing line, and you are able to safely capture the animal, bring the animal to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator such as Centre Wildlife Care.”