Two men charged for killing a rare whooping crane in Louisiana with a .17 caliber rifle on March 3, 2026.

Two men, Logan Q. Thrasher and Manuel Luis, have been charged for allegedly shooting and killing a critically endangered whooping crane in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, on March 3, 2026. The bird, tracked via telemetry, was found dead in a crawfish pond with a fatal small-caliber gunshot wound. The suspects, working on a nearby farm, admitted to firing a .17 caliber rifle at a flock of birds. They face fines up to $950, up to 120 days in jail, and $15,000 in civil restitution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Whooping cranes, among North America’s tallest birds, are extremely rare, with about 80 wild individuals in Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries urges the public to report any sightings.