The Hancock Wildlife Foundation is offering a $5,000 reward to the person who cut down a prominent eagle91裸聊视频檚 nest tree off Croydon Drive 91裸聊视频� but only if that person can provide proof of who paid them to do the job.

Foundation founder David Hancock said that it91裸聊视频檚 obvious the tree cutter didn91裸聊视频檛 act alone, and he would like to know who funded the operation.

91裸聊视频淎t some time, maybe the kid who (cut down the tree), will say, 91裸聊视频極K, five grand, I91裸聊视频檓 going to rat on the guy that paid me.91裸聊视频� That91裸聊视频檚 what we91裸聊视频檙e hoping,91裸聊视频� Hancock said Tuesday.

July last year, the City of Surrey received a call that a tree, located on private property at 2112 160 St., had been partially cut and was at risk of falling.

A city arbourist visited the site that afternoon and determined that the tree was at a high risk of falling due to it being cut on both sides, and almost all the way through.

Hancock supervised the removal of the tree, and agreed that there was no alternative 91裸聊视频� the tree had to come down.

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The tree was home to an eagle nest, which Hancock had observed for the previous eight years. The nest could be easily spotted from Highway 99, and was active every year.

Last year, the city told Peace Arch News that an investigation had been opened by both the city and province, and that the vandalism to the tree was an infraction of the city91裸聊视频檚 tree-protection bylaw and the provincial Wildlife Act.

Conservation Service officer Alicia Stark told PAN this week that the investigation is still open.

The minimum fine that could be imposed under the Wildlife Act is $575. However, the investigation is complicated due to a lack of witnesses.

Under the city91裸聊视频檚 tree-protection bylaw, fines of up to $2,000 can be issued.

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91裸聊视频淲e haven91裸聊视频檛 had anyone come forward with information but are still wanting people to call our (Report All Poachers and Polluters) line if they have information,91裸聊视频� Stark wrote to PAN. 91裸聊视频淲e haven91裸聊视频檛 been able to lay any charges.91裸聊视频�

Even though it91裸聊视频檚 been a little more than a year since the tree was damaged, Hancock said he91裸聊视频檚 still regularly asked by residents for an update on the investigation.

91裸聊视频淚t always comes up,91裸聊视频� Hancock said. 91裸聊视频淓very time I give a talk in the region, it91裸聊视频檚 the first question 91裸聊视频� what happened? It really is.91裸聊视频�

Although the tree came down July last year, Hancock suspects that the cut was probably made in May.

91裸聊视频淚t was slowly dying. He only cut about a little over half of it. The birds, who were on eggs or had very tiny young, they abandoned the nest and they went and built another nest.91裸聊视频�

Despite losing their home, the pair of eagles 91裸聊视频� Hancock caught the male and equipped it with a GPS-tracking device 91裸聊视频� appear to be doing just fine.

91裸聊视频淲hen they came back after their migration, they went straight to (the new nest) and raised three young there, this year91裸聊视频� I have not caught the female yet. It91裸聊视频檚 my great wish to catch the female so we know where the pair goes. I tried and tried and I couldn91裸聊视频檛 catch her, she91裸聊视频檚 very suspicious.91裸聊视频�

Hancock has caught and installed GPS devices on 17 birds. All of which, he said, are northern breeders.

The eagles returned from their northern adventures on Sept. 22.

Hancock said he91裸聊视频檚 scheduled to have a meeting Wednesday to try and analyze data received from the GPS devices, and come up with a theory of why all the eagles seemed to have returned on the exact same day.

91裸聊视频淭he big thing is probably the fact that it91裸聊视频檚 so competitive in the Lower Mainland, that if you don91裸聊视频檛 get back and look after your nest, somebody else is going to claim it.91裸聊视频�

Hancock said, 91裸聊视频渋n the bird world,91裸聊视频� the first eagle to claim a nest as its territory is, statistically, most likely to win the battle.

Hancock said that cutting down eagles nests, despite the illegality, has been happening for years in the province.

91裸聊视频淥ver my lifetime, even in the 30 years that I91裸聊视频檝e lived here, I91裸聊视频檝e just watched dozens and dozens and dozens of eagles nests just get chopped down,91裸聊视频� Hancock said, adding that only recently has there been more enforcement on the illegal activity.

91裸聊视频淥nly since the NDP took power that we91裸聊视频檝e saved a single eagle nest,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he concern, or the difference is, has to do with the enforcement of the Wildlife Act. That happened only when the NDP got in, all of the other governments have neglected it.91裸聊视频�