Post by Andy on Dec 3, 2007 18:23:13 GMT -5
Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources News Release
Reward offered for information leading to conviction in killing of rare bats
December 3, 2007 Contact: Traci Hemberger
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1-800-852-0942, ext. 373
Frankfort, Ky. – A $4,700 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing more than 100 federally endangered Indiana bats at a state park in late October.
A number of wildlife conservation organizations, cavers, environmental consultants and others have pooled their money to offer the reward. Vandals smashed the bats with rocks and knocked several into a stream to drown on two occasions while the animals were in a hibernating cluster at Carter Caves State Resort Park near Olive Hill. .
Investigators believe the first incident occurred Oct. 21-24. Officials discovered the second incident Oct. 27, and believe the bat killings may have occurred the previous night.
Traci Hemberger, endangered species biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, noted that a $500 reward offered in a similar 1987 case led to the convictions of four men. "We're hoping that this reward will lead to a breakthrough in the Carter Caves case," she said.
Hemberger said a number of organizations, starting with Bat Conservation International, began raising money for the reward after word spread about the bat killings. "There's been an outpouring of support from the bat and caving communities," she said. "It is inspiring to see everyone banding together."
Jim Kennedy, cave resources specialist for Bat Conservation International, said cases of bat killings such as the Carter Caves incident are rare. "We definitely would like to resolve this problem, and we also want to draw attention to the bigger need for bat protection," he said.
Kennedy said there are fewer than half a million Indiana bats known to exist in the world. Approximately 62,000 of the bats reside in Kentucky.
Members of the Dayton (Ohio) Underground Grotto and Eastern States Speleological Organization have also contributed toward the reward. "We are a group of responsible cavers and conservation-minded individuals, so when we hear about cases such as this, it makes us very upset," said Andy Niekamp, a member of both groups. "We want to do our part to help catch whoever did this."
Other contributors to the reward fund include the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network, Defenders of Wildlife, Eco-Tech Consultants, Inc., Apogee Environmental Consultants, LLC, Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc. and the Indiana State Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation.
Indiana bats first received protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1966. Until recently, their numbers have decreased steadily. The caves at Carter Caves State Resort Park harbor the largest hibernating population of Indiana bats in Kentucky.
"Everybody is disgusted with the killings," Hemberger said. "It's hard to believe someone would do something like this."
Violations of the Endangered Species Act can result in a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and a year in prison. Anyone with information about the bat deaths should contact Special Agent Bob Snow of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (502) 582-5989, ext. 29.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.8 billion annually. For more information on the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.
Reward offered for information leading to conviction in killing of rare bats
December 3, 2007 Contact: Traci Hemberger
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1-800-852-0942, ext. 373
Frankfort, Ky. – A $4,700 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing more than 100 federally endangered Indiana bats at a state park in late October.
A number of wildlife conservation organizations, cavers, environmental consultants and others have pooled their money to offer the reward. Vandals smashed the bats with rocks and knocked several into a stream to drown on two occasions while the animals were in a hibernating cluster at Carter Caves State Resort Park near Olive Hill. .
Investigators believe the first incident occurred Oct. 21-24. Officials discovered the second incident Oct. 27, and believe the bat killings may have occurred the previous night.
Traci Hemberger, endangered species biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, noted that a $500 reward offered in a similar 1987 case led to the convictions of four men. "We're hoping that this reward will lead to a breakthrough in the Carter Caves case," she said.
Hemberger said a number of organizations, starting with Bat Conservation International, began raising money for the reward after word spread about the bat killings. "There's been an outpouring of support from the bat and caving communities," she said. "It is inspiring to see everyone banding together."
Jim Kennedy, cave resources specialist for Bat Conservation International, said cases of bat killings such as the Carter Caves incident are rare. "We definitely would like to resolve this problem, and we also want to draw attention to the bigger need for bat protection," he said.
Kennedy said there are fewer than half a million Indiana bats known to exist in the world. Approximately 62,000 of the bats reside in Kentucky.
Members of the Dayton (Ohio) Underground Grotto and Eastern States Speleological Organization have also contributed toward the reward. "We are a group of responsible cavers and conservation-minded individuals, so when we hear about cases such as this, it makes us very upset," said Andy Niekamp, a member of both groups. "We want to do our part to help catch whoever did this."
Other contributors to the reward fund include the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network, Defenders of Wildlife, Eco-Tech Consultants, Inc., Apogee Environmental Consultants, LLC, Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc. and the Indiana State Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation.
Indiana bats first received protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1966. Until recently, their numbers have decreased steadily. The caves at Carter Caves State Resort Park harbor the largest hibernating population of Indiana bats in Kentucky.
"Everybody is disgusted with the killings," Hemberger said. "It's hard to believe someone would do something like this."
Violations of the Endangered Species Act can result in a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and a year in prison. Anyone with information about the bat deaths should contact Special Agent Bob Snow of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (502) 582-5989, ext. 29.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.8 billion annually. For more information on the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.