Hundreds of feathered corpses line the ground as several people line up behind to pose for the camera, as shown in a photo released from the U.S. Attorney's Office. At a first glance, it could be like any other waterfowl hunting photo, but there is something wrong with this scene: The 258 dead birds in this photo weren't tagged and transported in-line with the law.
Carlos T. Ortiz, 27, was sentenced last week for the illegal transportation and receipt of untagged migratory game birds, a violation of the international treaty Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
Under federal law, harvested migratory game birds cannot be left behind at any place or in the custody of another person unless tagged with the hunter's signature, address, number of birds identified by species, and the date killed.
Cortez and nine other hunters killed the hundreds of snow geese and white-fronted geese during an organized trip near the Sutter National Wildlife Refuge in California before mishandling the harvested birds, according to court documents.
The MBTA, which was signed into law in 1918, is among the oldest wildlife protection laws on the books. The treaty's signatories are the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. This law prohibits the killing, capture, sale, or transport of any migratory bird, unless authorized under a special permit issued by the U.S. Interior secretary.
Even if hunted with a special permit, if migratory game birds are killed and left behind anywhere other than the permit holder's home, they must have a tag attached, signed, and filled out with detailed information including the holder's address, the number and species of birds, and the date the birds were killed.
An investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife revealed that none of the 258 birds shot by Ortiz and other hunters on the trip were tagged as required by law, the Sacramento Bee reported.
The Sentencing
Last Friday, Ortiz pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Sacramento federal court.
What's the penalty for mishandling over 250 endangered birds, you might ask?
The law handed Ortiz a hunting ban for three years, probation, and a $1,000 fine.
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