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500 eagles feared killed in trafficking ring
Investigators expected to make announcement Wednesday

David Carrigg
The Province

Monday, April 04, 2005

CREDIT: Arlen Redekop File Photo, The Province
Conservation officer Colin Copland holds up a mutilated eagle found in North Vancouver in early February after 26 carcasses were found with talons cut off.

Investigators say they will reveal a break in North Vancouver's mutilated eagles case later this week.

In February and March, the remains of more than 50 bald eagles were found in North Vancouver and Squamish bushland, outraging conservationists, First Nations and bird lovers.

The first discovery came on Feb. 2 when 26 eagle carcasses were found in a North Vancouver ravine on Tsleil-Waututh Nation (also known as the Burrard Band) land. The remains of 14 eagles were found Feb. 18 near Cates Park in North Vancouver and at least eight more dead bald eagles were found in early March on Squamish First Nation land.

Tiffany Akins of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection confirmed yesterday the ministry will make an announcement relating to the case on Wednesday.

However, Akins would not reveal the nature of the announcement, adding only that investigators have identified "persons of interest."

Akins told The Province earlier that police received more than 75 tips about the eagle carcasses.

According to Time magazine and a local First Nations' publication, U.S. and Canadian authorities are working together on the case and are close to laying charges.

Conservation officials have speculated that an organized poaching ring is trafficking in eagle parts.

The Time report states authorities have identified suspects in a poaching and smuggling ring that they say annually slaughters more than 500 bald eagles on B.C.'s southwestern coast alone.

Paul Chang, an agent with the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told Time "there are native Americans willing to trade in these parts."

According to The First Nations Drum, several young members of Vancouver's Native American Church recently confessed to female elders that they were involved in the poaching ring. The story says more than 200 eagles were killed.

The ringleader of the group is believed to have fled to the U.S.

Viviane Sandy, a member of the Shuswap Chilcotin Nation, is quoted in The Drum as saying a man living in Vancouver was responsible for organizing the ring and killing the eagles. He then hired other men to take the eagles apart.

"Men from Vancouver Island, Alberta, Saskatchewan and farther were involved. The guy that did all the killings and hirings is a Native American Church member. He ran away to the States," said Sandy.

"It is devastating to know that the lives of more than 200 eagles were taken."