JP held for poaching in Caroni Swamp

GAME Wardens sprang a surprise Boxing Day raid yesterday at the Caroni Swamp and arrested a Justice of the Peace (JP) for illegal poaching. The game wardens headed by Chief Game Warden Anthony Ramnarine seized a dead Frigate bird from the JP. The Frigate is a highly endangered local bird species which is protected by Law from hunting. “After receiving information,” a  source said, “the unit went down to the Madame Espanol River, south of the Caroni Swamp, where we found a man with a small, flat bottom boat toting a licensed firearm. He had his hunting permits to hunt water fowl, but was in possession of a protected bird, which was a Frigate.”

He was charged with the offence of being in possession of a protected animal and for hunting a protected animal. Charges were laid by game wardens Steve Seepersad and Chrisen Gobin. The exercise was coordinated by Game Warden II Samsundar Ramdeen and included game warden Richard Ramlogan. “The game wardens seized his gun, boat and engine because under the Wildlife Act,” the source said, “game wardens have the authority to seize all guns, vehicles or vessels used in the commission of the alleged wildlife offences.” The alleged poacher will appear in the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court tomorrow to answer to the charges. The frigate is indigenous Trinidad and Tobago but it is also a migratory bird that flies between this country and Venezuela.