Belize City Woman Arrested for Possessing Jaguar Pelt

A Belize City woman has been arrested and charged after she was found in possession of a jaguar pelt, an offense that violates the country’s Forest Act. The arrest was the result of a joint enforcement operation by the Forest Department and the Belize Police Department on Tuesday.  The operation was initiated following tips from the public and conservation groups regarding the public sale and display of a jaguar pelt on social media. Police and Forest Department officials located the suspect, Lidear Lino, at her home on Holy Emmanuel Street. During the operation, authorities confiscated the jaguar pelt, which measured four feet in length.  Preliminary assessments by the Forest Department suggest the pelt was from a juvenile or female jaguar (Panthera onca), a species that is strictly protected in Belize. Deputy Chief Forest Officer John Pinelo Jr. told Love News warned members of the public that the department is scaling up activities to catch those violating the Forest Act.

John Pinelo Jr., Deputy Chief Forest Officer: “You create a market for these things for people who think this is something fancy to have on their wall.  This is an animal that is heavily protected all over the Americas.  It is definitely protected in Belize and you can’t hunt it for whatever reason. The department has been actively working on capturing and relocating jaguars that cause problems homeowners, cattle ranchers, to people whose dogs are being eaten.  And as you can see in the news we have been responding, capturing and relocating jaguars, putting GPS collars on them so we know where they are. If they’re coming around again we can make sure that we set up to catch them again. So we have been doing what we need to do to try and protect the animals. But unfortunately, there are some people who will try and capitalize on it, selling the skin,  selling the tooth, all of these things, which are illegal. Benjamin, I think the $10,000 fine will help to deter people because if we catch you with part of an animal that you should not have egg, feather, skin, tooth, bones, you will be taken to court and the judge will  have the ability to charge you up to $10,000 for having these things. You know, so I would want to warn the public. We’re working vigorously to apply the law and I think that it needs to be respected our animals need to be respected. We can’t keep shooting animals just so we can sell their tooth or their skin. And the department is trying very hard to remove those products so that there is not a market for it. I think the $10,000 fine, as I said, is also a disincentive for you to go out there and try and advertise publicly on Facebook that you have a jaguar skin for $500 for sale.”

As a keystone species, jaguars play a critical role in maintaining the health of the country’s ecosystems. They are also protected under international treaties, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  The Forest Department reminds the public that it is illegal to possess any wildlife or wildlife parts, including pelts, teeth, feathers, nests, or eggs, without a permit. Offenders can face a fine of up to BZ$10,000. The department encourages anyone with information on forest crime to report it via their social media pages or at the hotline number, 610-1524.