Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat has instructed Chief Game Warden Denny Dipchand to pursue a criminal investigation against a man who was videotaped killing a green anaconda to make a cook.
Rambharat said that once the suspect is caught, the police can file charges under the Conservation of Wild Life Act.
In a Facebook post, Rambharat stated: “When I saw the video this morning of the bare-backed guy removing the anaconda from the fish pot and hacking it to death, to make a cook, I knew the video would be removed. Before it was removed, it was determined where it was possibly taken and who the man involved could be.
“The Chief Game Warden was instructed to pursue this matter relentlessly with our game wardens and the Sangre Grande and Biche police, and lay charges under the Conservation of Wild Life Act,” Rambharat said in a Facebook post yesterday.
A source said the man was filmed in Biche and the incident occurred earlier this month.
Rambharat also had a message for the organisers of the Wild Meat Cool Down on Balandra Bay advertised to take place on Ash Wednesday.
He said he expected that the event would involve the possession, sale or serving of wild meat caught within State lands with a permit or on private land during the period where hunting is permitted.
“That is up to the last day of February. If not, it’s a fine of $10,000 per person, per protected animal or part thereof.”
The open season for hunting began on October 1, 2018, and ends on February 28.
