Is it true?

[MISA]

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/13/573445 ... ate%20News

'Wild Recon' host accused of selling rare lizards


The Associated Press

Published: Friday, Sep. 13, 2013 - 7:39 pm

Last Modified: Sunday, Sep. 15, 2013 - 7:00 am




LOS ANGELES -- The former host of Animal Planet's "Wild Recon" show has been charged in Los Angeles with selling two endangered Iranian desert monitor lizards without a permit.

City News Service says Donald Schultz, a herpetologist based in Southern California, was charged Thursday with violating the federal Endangered Species Act. If convicted, he could face up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine.

A message left for Schultz on his Facebook page wasn't immediately returned Friday.

Authorities say Schultz sold the rare lizards for $2,500 to an undercover federal wildlife agent who answered his 2010 offer on Facebook.

On his now-canceled show, Schultz would parachute into remote locations to take biological samples from deadly snakes and other dangerous animals.

[Fooble]

Eish...

[Blake]

Jy wil mos. If it is true he should know better.

[Bushviper]

The animals he sold were captive bred babies which are legal to keep. You do however need a permit to trade in them especially across state lines. The advert was actually put up by a "worker" of his, Myke Clarkson, a week after he decided to sell his entire lizard collection. He sold to an undercover agent who had been watching him for a while. In no way was he suspected of having caught or smuggled these animals. He did have a permit previously but this had expired.

By the same token if he had sold a Dumerils boa or a Lesser Sulphur Crested cockatoo he would have been in the same trouble. It is a stupid law which serves no purpose as it does not protect any animals by its application.

How by having a permit would the wild population of any species be better protected when a captive bred animal changes hands is beyond any normal comprehension. Its just a way to force people to pay money to do something which has zero conservational influence.

Nailing a "celebrity" is worth far more than some Joe Soap and the Feds obviously need some publicity so that they can ask for more money. 3 years to formulate a case means its rather a dodgy case to start with.

[shamroth]

http://www.news24.com/Green/News/Ex-Ani ... e-20140325

Los Angeles - The former host of Animal Planet's Wild Recon show has been sentenced to two years' probation and 200 hours of community service after admitting to trying to sell two endangered Iranian desert monitor lizards without a permit.

City News Service reports Donald Schultz was also ordered to pay $9 000 in fines on Monday. In November he pleaded guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Prosecutors say Schultz sold the rare lizards for $2 500 to an undercover federal wildlife agent who answered his 2010 offer on Facebook. A federal agent received the lizards in Buffalo, New York, and took them into custody.

On his now-cancelled show, Schultz parachuted in to remote locations to take biological samples from deadly snakes and other dangerous animals.

- AP

[Bushviper]

Almost 4 years in the making and at a cost of thousands of dollars worth of man hours to get that result. Seems kinda meaningless.

They could just as well have gone after the Turtleman who is far worse and actually does harm to animals. What about trying to catch people collecting snakes for the rattlesnake roundups?

[JJward7]

Yeah i Agree with BV and also all those guys out there shooting alligators . why don't they stop those people? it really upsets me