Saint Lucians are being warned not to violate the Wildlife Protection Act, or face a fine or prison time. The warning comes from the Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources and Co-operatives. In a statement issued today, Friday, the department noted that it is outraged over the recent spate of incidents involving the killing of protected wildlife in various parts of the island.
The Division was made aware of one such incident on January 27 2021, when it was notified of videos “of a dead adult Saint Lucia Boa (Boa constrictor orophias) or locally known as “Tete Chyenn” circulating on social media. It was alleged that this Saint Lucia Boa was found in the community of Gaya Bois, Saltibus and killed by a resident of the area. The boa was then taken to Parc Estate, Saltibus where another individual dissected, gutted and skinned the boa.”
The Division noted that in the recent past there has been a number of reports of wildlife offenses in different areas of the island, where wildlife have been indiscriminately killed or poached. This situation, the Division says, is a cause for concern and must be discontinued.
“The Forestry Division would like to warn members of the public that it is illegal to kill protected wildlife, as stipulated in the Wildlife Protection Act. Section 14 states: “Except by authority of a license or permit issued under section 10, a person commits an offence who —
-hunts or take any protected wildlife or the eggs, fry or young thereof;
-damages or destroys the nest, fry or young of any protected wildlife;”
Any person who commits an offence under the Act is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months. The Division noted that the Saint Lucia Boa is listed under Schedule One of the Wildlife Protection Act and as such, “killing of that boa which is now circulating on social media is a violation of the Wildlife Protection Act.”
Members of the public were also reminded that wildlife species such as birds, the Saint Lucia boa (Tet Chyenn), Saint Lucia iguana (Léza), and the agouti among others, are all fully protected wildlife under the Act and should not be killed or hunted. “Our native wildlife form part of our country’s natural heritage and play an essential role in the proper functioning and conditioning of our natural environment and ecosystems. And so, members of the public are urged to desist from committing those acts against our native wildlife.”
The Forestry Division says that it looks forward to the cooperation of the general public and urges citizens to report sightings of wildlife by calling 468-5635 or 518-7154.
