Woman in trouble after young jaguar found in pickup tray: Guyana

The pickup used to transport the young jaguar. (Photo: Kaieuteur News)

Woman in trouble after young jaguar found in pickup tray 

04-09-2014  Kaieteur News, Guyana

A woman caught transporting a young jaguar in her pickup is likely to appear in court shortly, authorities said yesterday. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the animal, an endangered species, was found with others in the tray of the pickup. There were reportedly a number of boxes there.

Shonette Takurdeen will soon be charged under new Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations for being in possession of an illegally captured young Jaguar.

A report of the woman transporting the animal was received by EPA via Iwokrama, a conservation facility in the hinterlands. Iwokrama was alerted by its ranger station and this was in turn relayed to the Guyana Revenue Authority outpost located at Kurupukari.

According to EPA, 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 the Guyana Zoo.”

According to EPA, this recent crackdown reiterated calls by the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert 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 now being enforced by EPA.

Officers of the EPA were on standby at the Zoological Park of the Protected Areas Commission to receive the animal and to escort the woman to the Brickdam Police Station for processing and institution of the charge.