Authorities are seeking the public's help in identifying four hikers who trespassed onto federally protected land in an iconic national park.
Park rangers are asking for the public’s help in identifying three shirtless hikers who are accused of trespassing on a federally protected territory, according to a memo from the National Park Service (NPS).
At 11:06 a.m. on July 24, authorities in Maine received a call concerning two men and one woman, all without shirts, seen on the Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park. Precipice Trail is a bird sanctuary trail which is strictly off limits to hikers during the summer months in order to preserve nesting areas for peregrine falcons, a federally protected species.
“Most of the east face of Champlain Mountain, including the entirety of the Precipice Trail, is closed for several months every year to support the protection of peregrine falcons, their nesting sites, and surrounding habitat,” the NPS explained in its statement.
“Research has shown that nesting peregrine falcons are particularly vulnerable to human activities, which can disturb the adults and make them less attentive to the eggs or chicks,” the NPS continued. “Human activities near a nesting area can lead to temporary or permanent abandonment of the nest by the adults, leaving chicks susceptible to hypothermia, starvation, and predation.”
The NPS noted that the trail’s “closure is clearly marked at the trail site, and it is widely publicized across various platforms, including Acadia National Park’s official website and social media accounts.”
Pictures posted by the NPS show two long-haired men and a female companion traversing the rock face. Another photo shows the trailhead, which is blocked with copious “Do Not Enter” signs and construction barriers that one would have to scramble over in order to enter the forest.
Investigators are asking those who were near the Precipice Trail on July 24, or may otherwise have information leading to the suspect's identities, to come forward. According to the Department of Justice, trespassing on federally protected land is punishable by six months in prison, a $500 fine, or both.
