Crowned eagle put down after being shot with pellet gun

The South African authorities have offered a cash reward to help find the culprit who shot this majestic crowned eagle three times with a pellet gun. The crowned eagle, also known as the African crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus), was shot in the suburb of Malvern in the city of Durban in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) said that shooting a crowned eagle, which is regarded as a protected species, is a “highly illegal act” that can lead to up to five years in prison. The Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorises the crowned eagle as ‘near threatened’. A Crow spokesperson told Newsflash: “The eagle was a young female with a nest site in Northdene. One pellet ricocheted through her spine thus leaving her paralysed. There was nothing to do but to humanely euthanise her.” The eagle was reportedly shot three times with a pellet gun before being put down, as explained in the video footage.