Teen in court for having prohibited wildlife

AN 18-YEAR-OLD man appeared in court charged with possession of 54 protected animals and clipping the wings of 51 birds. He was granted $50,000 bail by a Princes Town magistrate. Ricardo Hospedales of Ste Madeleine appeared before magistrate Nalinee Singh in the second court.

The 105 charges were read to Hospedales that he had in his possession the protected animals. The charges state that on July 14, Hospedales was found with the animals at a house in Lanse Mitan, Ste Madeleine. He was held by a team of game wardens including Steve Seepersad.

They found white-eyed parakeets, blue and gold macaws, black-headed parrots, a capybara, red-footed tortoises and others. The wings of 54 birds were found clipped. Hospedales pleaded not guilty to the charge. The animals were taken to the court house where they were viewed by the magistrate in the car park.

After granting Hospedales bail, the magistrate ordered the animals be handed over to the Wild Life Section of the Forestry Division.