TAHLEQUAH Okla.
Although the bald eagle recently was removed from the
endangered species list, the laws regulating the possession of the bird’s
feathers are still in place.
Both the bald and the golden eagle still are protected by
the federal act that bears their names: the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection
Act also known as the “Eagle Act” as well as the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act.
Passed in 1940, the Eagle Act prohibits the “take;
possession; sale; purchase; barter; offer to sell, purchase, or barter;
transport, export or import, of any bald or golden eagle, alive or dead,
including any part, nest, or egg, unless allowed by permit.”
Eagle feathers, however, have had spiritual significance to
American Indian tribes long before the federal government began passing acts.
So in the 1970s, the National Eagle Repository was established to provide
feathers of bald and golden eagles to tribal members for ceremonial purposes.
“Legally, you have to apply for eagle feathers through
the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife,” said Kelly Anquoe, a member of
the Kiowa tribe who is certified to possess eagle feathers.
“You can apply for the feathers, or you can apply for
an entire eagle. I applied for an entire eagle, and it came in a box about 3
1/2 feet long, with the eagle on ice.”
