Woman caught with jaguar to be charged

Last Updated on Wednesday, 3 September 2014, 21:40 by GxMedia

A woman is to be charged under the new Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations for allegedly being in possession of illegally captured young Jaguar which is an endangered species, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA said Shonette Takurdeen is soon to be charged for being in possession of that animal.

“The woman was not in possession of any Permit to capture or transport the animal. As such, the woman has been instructed to report at every Police Outpost / Station en-route from Kurupukari to Georgetown and finally to take the animal to Guyana Zoo,” the EPA added.

Meanwhile, Officers of the Environmental Protection Agency are on standby at the Zoological Park of the Protected Areas Commission to receive the animal and to escort Ms. Takurdeen to the Brickdam Police Station for processing and institution of the charge.

According to the agency, a report of the woman transporting the animal was received by the Environmental Protection Agency via Iwokrama, who obtained the information from its Ranger Station which was alerted by Officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority Outpost located at Kurupukari. 

This recent crackdown reiterated calls by the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert M. Persaud  for continued collaboration with the various agencies for similar operations to protect endangered wildlife and indigenous communities that depend on hunting for a livelihood. To this effect the Minister submitted to the National Assembly and signed the Wild Management and Conservation Regulations of 2013 which is being enforced by the EPA.