An Albanvale man has pled guilty to illegally keeping a wedge-tailed eagle in a cage.
The 42-year-old man was ordered to pay a $400 fine to the Australasian Raptor Association as well as pay the costs of the Department of Environment and Primary Industries in Sunshine Magsitrates Court on April 7. No conviction was recorded.
DEPI Wildlife Officer Sam Moore said wedge-tailed eagles are protected and an offence under the Wildlife Act 1975 to keep or possess one without a licence.
“DEPI wildlife officers found the eagle in a cage at the man’s home in July last year after receiving a call from Victoria Police,” he said.
“The fully grown wedge–tailed eagle was confined to a cage, approximately 2 metres high by 3.5 metres long by 2 metres wide. This is a very small cage for such a large bird.”
Wedge-tailed eagles can only be kept under a Commercial Demonstrator or Displayer licence with prior approval from the DEPI Secretary.
The DEPI Wildlife officers, with the assistance of a raptor handler, removed the bird from the cage and took it to Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary for assessments by vets.
The bird was in good condition but not suitable for release into the wild.
