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1 month ago
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Park rangers are desperate to identify three individuals who were spotted clambering up a federally protected area in Acadia National Park.
Authorities received a report about a woman and two men without shirts who were seen on the Precipice Trail in the Maine park on the morning of July 24.
The trail is a bird sanctuary that's strictly off limits this time of the year to prevent hikers from disturbing the nests of 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 National Park Service wrote in a news release Friday.
The best clue park rangers have in finding who was responsible for the trespassing are the three photos of the suspects.
A man and a woman are pictured climbing up a portion of the Precipice Trail, which is closed during this time of year to protect nesting Peregrine Falcons
The third individual, another man, is seen hiking on the same trail
This wide shot shows all three suspects hiking the closed trail
The National Park Service went on to explain that nesting Peregrine Falcons are 'particularly vulnerable to human activities.'
Specifically, if someone were to hike near where they are, it could disturb the adult birds and cause them to be less attentive to their chicks, according to the news release.
'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,' according to Acadia National Park.
The closure of the trail is clearly marked at the trail head, according to photos provided by the National Park Service.
It's also 'widely publicized' on the national park's website and social media platforms.
The National Park Service released this photo, showing that it would be obvious that the Precipice Trail is closed
Investigators are urging hikers who were near the Precipice Trail on July 24 to come forward and tell them what they know.
People with knowledge can contact the National Park Service at 888-653-0009, or can email nps_isb@nps.gov.
There is also the option to submit an anonymous tip at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip.
DailyMail.com approached Acadia National Park for comment.
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