Last week Harris County Sheriff's Office arrested and charged a 17-year-old boy for shooting and killing a bald eagle with two friends, orphaning its baby.

Since the teen is under age, the accused killer of our national bird will be charged with a class A misdemeanor for hunting without a landowner's consent, according to KHOU News.

Wildlife Center of Texas took in the orphaned baby Bald Eagle and have kept those concerned updated with how the baby bird is faring. They also wanted to remind the public that:

... almost all birds in Texas are Federally protected and that concerns of predatory birds preying upon pets and livestock simply comes down to responsible ownership practices.

 

While the Bald Eagle has been removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species since August 9, 2007, there is still the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. It was passed in 1940, prohibiting the take, possession, sale, purchase, and barter of any part (including nest or egg unless allowed by permit). 'Take' in this context includes: pursue, shoot, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap collect, molest or disturb. 

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