On the Trail - Robin des Bois

On the Trail - Robin des Bois On the Trail - Robin des Bois

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Seizure of 2 live snakes : a boa constrictor (Boa constrictor, Appendix II) and a Burmese python (Python bivittatus, Appendix II) Mérida, State of Yucatán, Mexico September 2013 The seizure followed an investigation by the Profepa. Inspectors monitored Internet sales of wildlife and suspicious movements around the airport of Merida. The «stash» where reptiles were hidden was thus detected. The animals were to be sold and sent to the State of Quintana Roo. They were entrusted to the wildlife conservation unit of the local zoo. Monitor Lizards Arrest of 7 monitor lizards poachers Ramkrishnapur, Kulpi, West Bengal State, Inde September 2013 The live monitor lizards were being smuggled between West Bengal and Saudi Arabia. The hunter/trappers came from Bengal and the organisers of the smuggling operation from the State of Jharkhand. Indictment of a man for trafficking in Iranian desert monitors (Varanus griseus caspius, Appendix I) Los Angeles, State of California, United States of America September 2013 Donald Schultz had 2 faces. 1 – He presented television series such as Animal Planet as a wild animal and reptile specialist. In particular he set himself up as a fierce protector of the Iranian desert monitor. 2 – From May 2006 to June 2010, he had a licence to import wild animals into the United States. He had misused it to fraudulently import a batch of monitors from South Africa. After the expiration of his licence he continued an «online business» presenting a whole collection of reptiles offered for sale on Facebook. An officer from the US Fish and Wildlife Service presented himself as an interested go-between. After several discussions, the deal was done with a colleague of Mr Schulz and 2 days later, the final recipient, another US Fish and Wildlife officer, received 2 Iranian desert monitors in New York via Delta Air Cargo, for the negotiated price of US$ 2,500 each, plus US$ 10 for transport. In August 2010, not doubting the trap he had just fallen into, the television presenter had requested by telephone – the call was monitored - exceptional authorisation to film the US Fish and Wildlife officers in their investigations for a future programme for the Discovery Channel. Donald Schultz is to appear in court in October. He faces 1 year in prison and a fine of US$ 100,000. Following On the Trail # 1, Robin des Bois has received his message of congratulations. Let’s bet he will be less satisfied with # 2. Iguanas Varanus bengalensis © Arun Prabhu Seizure of 2 kg of monitor lizard meat (Varanus genus) Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India 2 July 2013 A restaurant owner and 5 police officers are implicated. The officers carried 2 kg of lizard meat to the establishment by night. With the owner, they were surprised red-handed and were able to escape. 4 policemen turned themselves in on August 1st and the fifth was arrested half way through the month. The 6 individuals were charged with poaching and commercialization of protected wild species. India shelters 3 species of lizards listed under Appendix I of CITES (Varanus bengalensis, Varanus flavescens, Varanus griseus) and one species listed under Appendix II (Varanus salvator). Seizure of 81 live animals including 23 green iguanas (Iguana iguana, Appendix II) La Nueva Viga Market, San Lázaro, Mexico City, Mexico July 2013 2 people were arrested for illegal trade in endangered species. As early in the first quarter of the year 130 inspections and half a dozen operations led to the arrest of 6 suspects charged with causing harm to the environment. La Nueva Viga Market is renowned for its fish and reptiles. Seizure of 788 green iguanas (Iguana iguana, Appendix II) Mazatán, State of Chiapas, Mexico September 2013 Profepa inspected the San Andres Ranch in Mazatan, where specimens of wild species were being bred. The inspectors wanted to check the management and safety of the ranch, the provenance of the animals and that they were being treated with dignity and respect. The owner of the ranch was operating illegally. In particular he was not able to certify the provenance of 1,086 specimens including 788 green iguanas. He also had 29 White- On The Trail # 2. Robin des Bois 18

tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, Appendix III in Guatemala), 3 pacas (Cuniculus paca, Appendix III in Honduras), 3 Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata, Appendix III en Honduras) and 5 great curassows (Crax rubra, Appendix III in Costa Rica). He had 5 working days to prove that the origin of these animals was authorised by SEMARNAT (The Mexican Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources). If he does not do so, an administrative procedure will be launched and penalties may be applied such as a fine possibly amounting to between 50 and 50,000 times the current minimum salary in Chiapas and the seizure of the captives. Meanwhile, the undocumented animals were recorded but they were not removed from the ranch. Seizure of 4 live baby morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii, Appendix II) Padilla, State of Tamaulipas, Mexico August 2013 They were found at a fish and sea food store. They were exhibited in his shop. A call from an anonymous informant brought on the intervention. The crocodiles are in good health. They were taken in by the Tamatan zoo (Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas) and will be released into their natural habitat. An adult Morelet’s crocodile can reach up to 4.7 m. They live in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. Seizure of a live Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus, Appendix II) Gothenberg Airport, Götaland Region, Sweden September 2013 The Swedish barber said he had believed the young crocodile to be an adult monitor lizard. The Nile crocodile feeds on gazelles. Its bite is fatal. Nile crocodile, Mara, Kenya © Ralph Reinhold Ctenosaura pectinata © Don Loarie Crocodilians Seizure of 28 live baby Morelet’s crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii, Appendix II) Mérida International Airport, State of Yucatán, Mexico August 2013 They were arriving from the State of Tabasco, Mexico. They were on their way to a breeding farm or to be used as pets or eventually to be used by the leather industry. Seizure of 32 kg of bush meat, including American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis, Appendix II) Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil September 2013 The owner of the house where the seizure took place cannot be found. The meat was frozen. Alligator mississippiensis © Earl Nottingham © Progreso Hoy 19 On The Trail # 2. Robin des Bois

Seizure of 2 live snakes : a boa constrictor (Boa<br />

constrictor, Appendix II) and a Burmese python<br />

(Python bivittatus, Appendix II)<br />

Mérida, State of Yucatán, Mexico<br />

September 2013<br />

The seizure followed an investigation by <strong>the</strong> Profepa.<br />

Inspectors monitored Internet sales of wildlife<br />

and suspicious movements around <strong>the</strong> airport of<br />

Merida. The «stash» where reptiles were hidden<br />

was thus detected. The animals were to be sold<br />

and sent to <strong>the</strong> State of Quintana Roo. They were<br />

entrusted to <strong>the</strong> wildlife conservation unit of <strong>the</strong><br />

local zoo.<br />

Monitor Lizards<br />

Arrest of 7 monitor lizards poachers<br />

Ramkrishnapur, Kulpi, West Bengal State, Inde<br />

September 2013<br />

The live monitor lizards were being smuggled<br />

between West Bengal and Saudi Arabia. The hunter/trappers<br />

came from Bengal and <strong>the</strong> organisers<br />

of <strong>the</strong> smuggling operation from <strong>the</strong> State of<br />

Jharkhand.<br />

Indictment of a man for trafficking in Iranian <strong>des</strong>ert<br />

monitors (Varanus griseus caspius, Appendix I)<br />

Los Angeles, State of California, United States of<br />

America<br />

September 2013<br />

Donald Schultz had 2 faces.<br />

1 – He presented television series such as Animal<br />

Planet as a wild animal and reptile specialist. In particular<br />

he set himself up as a fierce protector of <strong>the</strong><br />

Iranian <strong>des</strong>ert monitor.<br />

2 – From May 2006 to June 2010, he had a licence to<br />

import wild animals into <strong>the</strong> United States. He had<br />

misused it to fraudulently import a batch of monitors<br />

from South Africa. After <strong>the</strong> expiration of his licence<br />

he continued an «online business» presenting<br />

a whole collection of reptiles offered for sale on Facebook.<br />

An officer from <strong>the</strong> US Fish and Wildlife Service<br />

presented himself as an interested go-between.<br />

After several discussions, <strong>the</strong> deal was done with a<br />

colleague of Mr Schulz and 2 days later, <strong>the</strong> final recipient,<br />

ano<strong>the</strong>r US Fish and Wildlife officer, received<br />

2 Iranian <strong>des</strong>ert monitors in New York via Delta Air<br />

Cargo, for <strong>the</strong> negotiated price of US$ 2,500 each,<br />

plus US$ 10 for transport. In August 2010, not doubting<br />

<strong>the</strong> trap he had just fallen into, <strong>the</strong> television<br />

presenter had requested by telephone – <strong>the</strong> call was<br />

monitored - exceptional authorisation to film <strong>the</strong><br />

US Fish and Wildlife officers in <strong>the</strong>ir investigations<br />

for a future programme for <strong>the</strong> Discovery Channel.<br />

Donald Schultz is to appear in court in October. He<br />

faces 1 year in prison and a fine of US$ 100,000.<br />

Following <strong>On</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Trail</strong> # 1, <strong>Robin</strong> <strong>des</strong> <strong>Bois</strong> has received<br />

his message of congratulations. Let’s bet he<br />

will be less satisfied with # 2.<br />

Iguanas<br />

Varanus bengalensis © Arun Prabhu<br />

Seizure of 2 kg of monitor lizard meat (Varanus<br />

genus)<br />

Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India<br />

2 July 2013<br />

A restaurant owner and 5 police officers are implicated.<br />

The officers carried 2 kg of lizard meat to <strong>the</strong><br />

establishment by night. With <strong>the</strong> owner, <strong>the</strong>y were<br />

surprised red-handed and were able to escape. 4<br />

policemen turned <strong>the</strong>mselves in on August 1st and<br />

<strong>the</strong> fifth was arrested half way through <strong>the</strong> month.<br />

The 6 individuals were charged with poaching and<br />

commercialization of protected wild species. India<br />

shelters 3 species of lizards listed under Appendix I<br />

of CITES (Varanus bengalensis, Varanus flavescens, Varanus<br />

griseus) and one species listed under Appendix<br />

II (Varanus salvator).<br />

Seizure of 81 live animals including 23 green<br />

iguanas (Iguana iguana, Appendix II)<br />

La Nueva Viga Market, San Lázaro, Mexico City,<br />

Mexico<br />

July 2013<br />

2 people were arrested for illegal trade in endangered<br />

species. As early in <strong>the</strong> first quarter of <strong>the</strong><br />

year 130 inspections and half a dozen operations<br />

led to <strong>the</strong> arrest of 6 suspects charged with causing<br />

harm to <strong>the</strong> environment. La Nueva Viga Market is<br />

renowned for its fish and reptiles.<br />

Seizure of 788 green iguanas (Iguana iguana,<br />

Appendix II)<br />

Mazatán, State of Chiapas, Mexico<br />

September 2013<br />

Profepa inspected <strong>the</strong> San Andres Ranch in Mazatan,<br />

where specimens of wild species were being<br />

bred. The inspectors wanted to check <strong>the</strong> management<br />

and safety of <strong>the</strong> ranch, <strong>the</strong> provenance<br />

of <strong>the</strong> animals and that <strong>the</strong>y were being treated<br />

with dignity and respect. The owner of <strong>the</strong> ranch<br />

was operating illegally. In particular he was not<br />

able to certify <strong>the</strong> provenance of 1,086 specimens<br />

including 788 green iguanas. He also had 29 White-<br />

<strong>On</strong> The <strong>Trail</strong> # 2. <strong>Robin</strong> <strong>des</strong> <strong>Bois</strong><br />

18

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