The department declined to comment on who owned the properties or if authorities were investigating whether a syndicate was involved in the mass slaying of the wedge-tailed eagles. "A number of items were seized, including a four-wheel drive vehicle, two animal traps, phones, computers, documents, chemicals, unsecured ammunition and a number of additional native animal skulls, one of which is believed to be a wedge-tailed eagle," wildlife investigator Iain Bruce said. Animal skulls were seized during the raids. Initial reports indicated 81 dead eagles had been found, but the Environment Department confirmed on June 12 that 136 dead eagles had been counted throughout one bushland property. It's understood piles of dead eagles were found hidden on a farm in Tubbut in far East Gippsland, along with the carcasses of four other protected bird species.

Charges are yet to be laid, but police revealed earlier this month a person was helping investigators with their inquiries. Wedge-tailed eagles are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. Deliberately killing them carries a maximum fine of $7928, and/or up to six months imprisonment with an additional penalty of $792 for each bird destroyed. Given the number of dead native animals discovered so far, the offender could be jailed and/or receive a fine of about $115,000. The bird carcasses were found after more than 30 officers conducted an extensive three-day search of the property, Mr Bruce said earlier this month. "The animals were hidden among bush and scrub so it's not a definitive number; it's not as if we have a mass grave, or a single point they've been hidden," he said.

"We believe the number could be much higher than those seized." While it is suspected that the birds were deliberately poisoned, the department is yet to comment on the specific circumstances, only stating the deaths were "unexplained" and are being investigated. "It's clearly intentional," Mr Bruce said. "This is the biggest case of wedge-tailed eagle deaths we have ever seen — by far the biggest." But the department said it was unlikely that a common wild dog bait known as 1080, containing sodium fluoroacetate, was responsible for the deaths.

Pictures seen by The Age show a dead wedge-tailed eagle lying near the carcass of an animal in a field at the Tubbut property, dated mid-April this year. Victorian authorities found 136 dead eagles at a property in Tubbut in East Gippsland. Jill Redwood, from Environment East Gippsland, said earlier this month residents of the sparsely populated district that lies near the NSW border were aware of several farmers who poison or shoot the protected species over fears they will kill livestock. "I know a lot of farmers have the archaic belief the eagles are taking the livestock, rather than just eating the dead or carrion. So they are shooting and poisoning every eagle they see," Ms Redwood said. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video

It's not the first time the nation’s largest bird of prey has been targeted in fatal attacks. Authorities revealed last July that about 20 of the birds had been found shot or poisoned and dumped in Victorian parkland in recent years. In June last year, the carcasses of four wedge-tailed eagles were found shot in the Black Range State Forest near the Grampians. Five white-bellied sea eagles were fatally poisoned near Bairnsdale in August last year. A man was interviewed over the incident.

In the United States, thirteen bald eagles were found dead on a farm in Maryland two years ago. Details of a six-month investigation, disclosed last week, show that the eagles died from ingesting a highly toxic pesticide banned in the United States. US investigators determined the cause of death was poisoning by carbofuran, a toxic pesticide. The New York Times reported no arrests were ever made, and investigators have closed the case. Information can be provided anonymously by phoning DELWP's Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.