BEND, Ore. — Officials are offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot Chuck, a beloved 11-year-old trumpeter swan.
The Bend Bulletin reports that Chuck was shot Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23. He was found injured on the Deschutes River just northwest of Sunriver and had to be euthanized.
Chuck’s mate and younglings have left their home lake since his death, and officials hope to return them to the protected area. Simon Wray, conservation biologist at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said authorities are working to trap the mate and younglings.
Trumpeter swans are a protected species in Oregon. Hunting them is illegal.
