PERHAM, Maine — Maine Operation Game Thief is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever illegally killed a Canada lynx in Aroostook County.
Game wardens responded Wednesday to a report of a dead lynx along Mouse Island Road in Perham, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said. An investigation determined the animal had been shot and killed within about 24 hours of its discovery.
Officials said the Canada lynx is a federally protected species, and it is a federal offense to harass, trap, hunt, or kill one in the contiguous United States. The department called the shooting “unnecessary” and said the animal was “left to waste.”
Maine Operation Game Thief is a nonprofit confidential tip line and reward program that allows the public to report illegal hunting, fishing, and wildlife crimes. Tips can be submitted anonymously by phone at 1-800-ALERT-US or online at maineogt.org. Rewards are typically offered when tips lead to arrests and convictions.
Officials encourage anyone with information about the killing to contact the Maine Warden Service or Maine Operation Game Thief immediately.