According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, four males have been charged with felony poaching as a consequence of multiple unlawful alligator hunts. In one of the hunts, an alligator was killed by being slashed to death with a machete.
According to the affidavits, the alligators were killed on the property along State Road 52 close to Land O’ Lakes on January 31, February 14, and April 28 respectively.
State officials believe that two of the suspects are responsible for killing the alligators, while two others are suspected of processing the flesh so that it may be consumed.
one anonymous complaint was received on March 9 concerning “an individual unlawfully taking various species,” according to authorities of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission who spoke with McClatchy News.
“Officers met with two suspects and discovered evidence of illegal possession of an alligator on one suspect’s cell phone and the other suspect confessed to the illegal take of an alligator using a rifle,” FWC authorities stated. “Officers also discovered evidence of illegal possession of an alligator on one suspect’s cell phone.”
“After conducting more research, investigators had an interview with a third suspect who confirmed that he prepared the flesh from alligators that had been unlawfully kidnapped. As proof, authorities took possession of some alligator meat as well as a firearm.
According to the authorities, evidence found in April led to the arrest of a fourth person involved in the processing of meat.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has not said how the unlawful hunts are related; nevertheless, detectives are seeking more leads regarding “illegal wildlife activities” at the Angeline development, which is over 6,200 acres and is now under construction near Land O’ Lakes. Approximately 20 miles to the north of Tampa is where the project is located.
The suspects are all from the state of Florida, and their ages range from 35 to 61. Each of them is accused of unlawfully stealing an alligator, which is a crime of the third degree that has a maximum sentence of five years in jail.
According to the maps, three of the reptiles were killed in Five Mile Creek, which cuts through the Angeline complex. Two of them were shot, while the other was cut down with a machete.
The hunting season for alligators in Florida begins on August 15 and lasts until November 1; however, there are only 7,000 licenses available for purchase.
Outside of the appropriate hunting season, it is against the law to kill an alligator unless the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has determined that the animal poses a significant risk to the general public. In these kinds of situations, the state will hire a professional trapper to capture the alligator and then put it to death.
