CPW Offers Reward For Information About Turkey Vultures Shot With Pellet Gun In Longmont
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife is offering a reward for information after two turkey vultures were found shot with a pellet gun in Longmont. Investigators believe the shootings happened near Central Elementary School and Thompson Park.
The first turkey vulture was shot in May and brought to the Birds of Prey Foundation. Wildlife officials say a second turkey vulture was shot sometime around June 15 or 16.
Turkey vultures are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Anyone caught shooting the turkey vultures could be fined up to $15,000.
"Roosting turkey vultures can be seen as unwelcome guests because of the mess they can make, but residents are not permitted to shoot or kill them to solve this problem," said Wildlife Officer Joe Padia. "This most likely is a resident fed up with the destruction from vultures on their property leaving feces, bones and foul odors, and is using a pellet gun illegally to take care of their problem."
CPW says turkey vultures are common to this part of Longmont. The birds are known to nest in caves of remote cliffs from May through August. They can also be found in open areas of suburbs and the countryside.
Anyone with information about the injured birds are asked to call CPW's Denver office at 303-291-7227 or Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648 or by emailing game.thief@state.co.us. Callers can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a monetary reward for information that leads to an arrest or citation.
CPW is offering a monetary reward through Operation Game Thief for information that leads to an arrest or a citation being issued in this case.
To report any information, the public can call CPW's Denver office at 303-291-7227 or do so through Operation Game Thief by calling 1-877-265-6648 or emailing game.thief@state.co.us. Callers do not have to reveal their names or testify in court.
