The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) says a Canadian man was sentenced to almost $3,000 in fines and penalties after pleading guilty to four separate misdemeanor counts of the illegal possession of raptors.
NDOW says Dana Morely McIvor, a 31-year-old Canadian man, pled guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of a golden eagle and ordered to pay $1,745 in fines and civil penalties and two separate counts of unlawful possession of a bird of prey and ordered to pay an additional $1,210. In addition to his his fines, McIvor was given a 30-day jail sentence, suspended for two years.
Authorities say McIvor was pulled over for reckless driving in Elko on January 31 and the bird parts were found after a search of the vehicle McIvor was driving. For a previous story click here. Officials say McIvor had admitted to killing at least three raptors and that he had numerous raptor parts, such as feathers, wings and feet in his possession when he was arrested.
“This crime is an outrage to the citizens of Nevada. These birds are an important part of Nevada’s ecosystem, and there’s no excuse for this kind of thoughtless killing,” said Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed.
NDOW says eagle feathers are often used in Native American celebrations and are sometimes illegally sold in international markets. In Nevada, as in other states, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) permit is required to be in possession of raptors and raptor parts.
The USFWS says they provide feathers for Native American celebrations and are available through the National Eagle Repository. NDOW routinely works with the USFWS to transfer killed and euthanized raptors to the repository.
“The Fish and Wildlife Service has done great work to make birds available for ceremonial purposes, and there’s no excuse for killing healthy birds to sell on the black market,” said Turnipseed.
Anyone with information on any case of wildlife crime is urged to call Operation Game Thief (OGT) at (800) 992-3030. Rewards are paid upon successful prosecution of the case. Follow Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed on Twitter for the most up to date information on wildlife investigations @Chief_GW_NV.
