92 Shorebirds Killed By Vehicle On Washington Beach

The Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced that 92 shorebirds were killed by an unknown vehicle on Thursday.

Authorities from the department arrived at the site of the incident to find close to 100 Dunlin birds dead on a southwest beach in Washington State. One of the creatures found alive had to be euthanized because of a badly torn wing.

Officials from the Department of Fish and Wildlife report that the unfortunate event occurred at approximately 1:00 pm on December 27. The birds were found on the beachfront located north of the Cranberry beach approach on Long Beach, according to an article by King 5 News.

Reports from the Wildlife Center of the North Coast indicate that the 92 Dunlin shorebirds suffered trauma to their bodies that is consistent with wounds typically received during a collision with a motor vehicle.

Previous police investigations by the Department of Fish and Wildlife have found that a vehicle must be traveling at speeds far exceeding the 25 miles per hour posted speed limit at the beach to effectively collide with this particular type of bird.

State law prohibits such activity by making it illegal for an individual to “operate any motor vehicle on or along any ocean beach at a speed greater that is necessary to avoid colliding with any person, animal, vehicle or other conveyance.” Sea and shorebirds like the Dunlin should find protection under this law, according to The Daily News Online.

To help further their investigation of the tragic 92 shorebird killings, the Wildlife Center of the North Coast is offering a $500 reward to anyone providing information that leads to the arrests of individuals linked to the crime.

Information regarding this investigation can be reported to Sgt Dan Chadwick, WDFW Police at (360) 581-3337.

What do you think of the unfortunate incident involving 92 shorebirds killed by a vehicle on the Washington beach?