Eagles among victims of avian killers

Indictment accuses 2 of hunting birds to sell on black market

Two men killed about 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, during a “killing spree” on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then sold eagle parts on a black market that has been a long-running problem for U.S. wildlife officials, a federal grand jury indictment says.

The men worked with others to hunt and kill the birds, according to the indictment, and in at least one instance used a dead deer to lure in an eagle that was shot. The two defendants conspired with others who weren’t named to sell eagle feathers, tails, wings and other parts for “significant sums of cash” across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment said.

Simon Paul, 42, of St. Ignatius, Mont., and Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Wash., face 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating wildlife trafficking laws.

Text messages obtained by investigators showed Branson and others telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment that described Paul as a “shooter” for Branson.

The indictment said the killings began in January 2015 and continued until 2021 near Ronan, Mont., on the Flathead Reservation, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes. It did not say how many of the 3,600 birds killed were eagles.

“We just hope that if these individuals are proven guilty that it will serve as a warning to others that we are watching,” said Rich Janssen, director of the tribes’ Natural Resources Department. He said that members of the tribes use eagle feathers for traditional dress and in honor ceremonies.

Tribal law enforcement was involved in the investigation of Paul and Branson, but Janssen did not know why it so long for them to be charged.

Bald eagles are the national symbol of the United States, and both bald and golden eagles are widely considered sacred by American Indians. U.S. law prohibits anyone without a permit from killing, wounding or disturbing eagles or taking any parts such as nests or eggs. Even taking feathers found in the wild can be a crime.

Federally recognized tribes can apply for permits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take a bald or golden eagle for religious purposes, and enrolled tribal members can apply for eagle feathers and other parts from the National Eagle Repository.

But there’s a lengthy backlog of requests, according to Janssen and two independent eagle researchers.

The researchers said that backlog could be driving the black market for eagle parts. Feathers from young golden eagles are especially in high demand, with waits as long as five years to receive them from the repository, said researcher Bryan Bedrosian with the Teton Raptor Center in Wilson, Wy.

“Because it’s challenging for folks particularly in the tribes to get feathers for legitimate religious purposes, it has kind of created this market” for illegal eagle parts, he said. Addressing those delays could help reduce the illegal trade in eagle parts, said Rob Domenech, executive director of Raptor View Research Institute in Missoula, Mont.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said it also was a black eye for Russian President Vladimir Putin: “It is a very clear message to Moscow. Us Europeans, we don’t let go of Ukraine,” he said.

Orban said his opposition remained steadfast, but, with a unanimous decision required, he decided to let his right to oppose lapse because the 26 others were arguing so strongly in favor. Under EU rules, an abstention does not prevent a decision from being adopted.

An EU official, who asked not to be identified because the summit negotiations were private, said Orban was “momentarily absent from the room in a pre-agreed and constructive manner” when the decision was made.

Orban said he stepped aside since all of his counterparts were committed to putting Ukraine on the EU membership path, though their position did not change his mind.

“Hungary’s perspective is clear: Ukraine is not ready for us to begin negotiations on its EU membership. It’s a completely illogical, irrational and improper decision” he said.

Others lauded Orban’s gesture; they were preparing for a summit that some feared might spill over into an extra day Saturday.

“Certainly quicker than any of us expected,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.

“In fairness to Prime Minister Orban, he made his case, made it very strongly. He disagrees with this decision and he’s not changing his opinion in that sense, but essentially decided not to use the veto power,” Varadkar said.

“I respect the fact that he didn’t do that, because it would have put us in a very difficult position as a European Union,” the Irish leader added.