A $5,000 dollar reward is now being offered after two shorebird nests were allegedly vandalized in Queens.
Investigators with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that a person intentionally damaged two piping plover nest enclosures on the beach in Far Rockaway sometime between 10:30 a.m. on June 9 and 10:30 a.m. on June 10. The fence protecting the nest area designed to keep predators out appeared to have been bent.
The investigators added that two eggs from each of the nests in the enclosure were also taken.
The piping plover is a threatened species of bird. If found and convicted, the vandal responsible could face a $25,000 fine for each egg and up to six months behind bars.
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Earlier in 2023, the NYC Parks Department installed cameras on the beach to monitor activity around the nesting areas. The footage from the cameras is being reviewed.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call 1-844-FWS-TIPS (397-8477).
