Poacher Pays Fine to Avoid Jail!

A man who was caught red-handed in possession of wild animal body parts was found guilty this week and fined two thousand dollars. The prosecution followed a search at the premises of Ruben Beiler of Springfield in the Cayo District last week. Officials confiscated pieces of dead animals as well as live ones being held in cages. Forestry personnel retrieved jaguar, coati, crocodile, and other animal skins, teeth, feathers, and paws. He had no permits for any of this as stipulated in section nineteen of the Forest Act. Beiler appeared in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and paid his fine, avoiding jail time. Forestry personnel have placed the animals that were caged in rehabilitation so they can eventually be released back into the wild.