A Wyoming Native American tribe has been granted a rare permit for the sacrifice of two bald eagles. The eagles are heavily protected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which rarely permits the killing of eagles. The killing of bald eagles has high penalties and gaol time, even though the species was dropped from endangered to threatened status in 2007. The permit was issued after the Arapaho tribe filed a federal lawsuit, claiming the inability of sacrificing bald eagles was an infringement on their religious beliefs.