This story is a bit off the beaten path for us, but it highlights a serious problem that largely flies under the media radar and is something of a personal crusade for me. It involves some men in the Pacific Northwest who have been running an illegal “bird trafficking” ring for multiple years. They have killed thousands of endangered birds, including eagles. They would take the birds’ feathers and bodies and sell them to Native American tribe members who use the parts in ritual ceremonies. Now some of them have been arrested and are being brought to justice, though how much justice will be delivered remains to be seen. Travis Branson of Washington will plead guilty to multiple counts of wildlife trafficking. (Associated Press)
A Washington state man accused of helping kill more than 3,000 birds — including eagles on a Montana Indian reservation — then illegally selling their…
