Glenn Innes man to pay almost $3,000 for reptile licence breaches
View the press release at: Reptile keeper charged - Local News - News - General - Glen Innes Examiner
An experienced reptile keeper will have to pay almost $3,000 in fines and court costs after being sentenced in Glen Innes Local Court last week over 6 offences relating to the keeping and trading of native reptiles.
[name deleted] pleaded guilty to all charges including 3 offences of importing and exporting dangerously venomous reptiles without a permit; 2 offences of failing to keep an accurate record of fauna acquired and disposed of under his licence; and 1 offence of failing to keep his Record Book at the premises where his reptile collection was housed.
[name deleted] is licensed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act to keep dangerously venomous reptiles, and is required by his licence to keep detailed records of all reptiles acquired and disposed of in an Animal Keeper’s Record Book. Licensees are only permitted to engage in interstate trade of native fauna where they have obtained an import/export permit for the particular transaction from the Office of Environment and Heritage.
The reptiles involved in the offences included common and northern death adders, spotted black snakes and speckled brown snakes, some of the most lethal snakes in the world.
The offences were uncovered after a search warrant was executed on [name deleted] residence by OEH investigators and National Parks & Wildlife rangers.
In convicting [name deleted] of the charges, Magistrate Richardson stated, “There is no doubt that these are serious offences which warrant a fine.
“It is important that this fine is sufficient to deter other fauna keepers from committing similar offences”, he said.
Office of Environment and Heritage Chief Executive Lisa Corbyn said the fauna licensing system was in place to protect both native animals as well as the public, particularly in the case of dangerously venomous snakes.
“The fauna licensing system is designed to protect native fauna against poaching as well as making sure that captive-bred animals are only kept by people with the necessary skill and experience.
“OEH views record-keeping breaches as serious offences that undermine these objectives, and the outcome of these matters shows that this view is supported by the courts,” she said.
View the press release at: Reptile keeper charged - Local News - News - General - Glen Innes Examiner
An experienced reptile keeper will have to pay almost $3,000 in fines and court costs after being sentenced in Glen Innes Local Court last week over 6 offences relating to the keeping and trading of native reptiles.
[name deleted] pleaded guilty to all charges including 3 offences of importing and exporting dangerously venomous reptiles without a permit; 2 offences of failing to keep an accurate record of fauna acquired and disposed of under his licence; and 1 offence of failing to keep his Record Book at the premises where his reptile collection was housed.
[name deleted] is licensed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act to keep dangerously venomous reptiles, and is required by his licence to keep detailed records of all reptiles acquired and disposed of in an Animal Keeper’s Record Book. Licensees are only permitted to engage in interstate trade of native fauna where they have obtained an import/export permit for the particular transaction from the Office of Environment and Heritage.
The reptiles involved in the offences included common and northern death adders, spotted black snakes and speckled brown snakes, some of the most lethal snakes in the world.
The offences were uncovered after a search warrant was executed on [name deleted] residence by OEH investigators and National Parks & Wildlife rangers.
In convicting [name deleted] of the charges, Magistrate Richardson stated, “There is no doubt that these are serious offences which warrant a fine.
“It is important that this fine is sufficient to deter other fauna keepers from committing similar offences”, he said.
Office of Environment and Heritage Chief Executive Lisa Corbyn said the fauna licensing system was in place to protect both native animals as well as the public, particularly in the case of dangerously venomous snakes.
“The fauna licensing system is designed to protect native fauna against poaching as well as making sure that captive-bred animals are only kept by people with the necessary skill and experience.
“OEH views record-keeping breaches as serious offences that undermine these objectives, and the outcome of these matters shows that this view is supported by the courts,” she said.
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