SACO, Maine (AP) - State and federal authorities are investigating two cases of vandalism of nesting enclosures that are designed to help rare shorebirds in Maine.
The Maine Warden Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the vandalism cases in Saco and Old Orchard Beach. The vandals disrupted enclosures that help the piping plover, which is listed as endangered in Maine and threatened nationally.
Nesting enclosures were vandalized in the middle of the night on July 4 near Goosefare Brook in Saco, the warden service said. Fencing was destroyed, birds abandoned their nest and one of the chicks was found dead, the service said.
The second act of vandalism also happened in the middle of the night on July 4. The warden service said a nesting enclosure that housed a nesting pair of adult chicks was purposely dismantled and a nest with three eggs was temporarily abandoned.
Authorities asked anyone with information about the vandalism to call 1-800-ALERT-US.
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