Australia: 14 days in prison for poisoning 406 eagles

Farmer Murray James Silvester pleads guilty to poisoning eagles over more than 2 years in the state of Victoria. Their deaths were deliberate and represent the largest mass killing of eagles ever recorded in the south-eastern Australian state, said an official from the environmental authority. The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia.

The carcasses and skulls of the birds of prey, some already decomposed, were found scattered across more than 2’000 hectares of bushland and private properties.

Animal welfare groups are now criticising the two-week prison sentence handed to the man who killed the 406 eagles as far too lenient.

Murray James Silvester was sentenced before the court in Sale last Monday. He will serve 14 days in custody and has been fined 2’500 dollars for the destruction of a protected species.

The Humane Society International, however, believes the lenient sentence is out of step with public outrage over the killings. Spokesperson Evan Quartermaine said the sentence amounts to less than one hour per eagle, and the fine to just 6 dollars per eagle killed.

“This penalty is clearly inadequate, and until sentences involving wildlife are made sufficiently deterrent to match the crime, people who do not value nature will continue undeterred in destroying it,” said Quartermaine, according to the online portal The Guardian.

Wedge-tailed eagles protected since 1998

The maximum penalty for hunting offenses under the Victorian Wildlife Act is six months in prison and a fine of $8’000, with an additional penalty of $800 for each animal killed. In this case, the penalty could exceed $330’000.

The 59-year-old will be deported to New Zealand upon his release. Last week, a young farmer and hobby hunter from Cowangie, also from the state of Victoria, was charged with animal cruelty for randomly running over emus with his car. More on Crime and Recreational Hunting.