Tag: Crime

Man arrested for ‘idiotic antics’ near roadside elephant; video

A man in India was caught on video recently confronting a large elephant and seemingly offering prayer gestures with the confused animal just feet away.

A man in India was caught on video recently confronting a large elephant and seemingly offering prayer gestures with the confused animal just feet away.

Susanta Nanda of the Indian Forest Service tweeted the accompanying footage on May 11 and alluded to the unpredictable nature of elephants when challenged in such a manner.

“Anymore proof that elephants are gentle giants?” Nanda wrote. “But wild can be wild anytime. Don’t try these idiotic antics.”

Motorists can be heard honking at the man, whose actions inspired a bluff charge from an elephant that otherwise exhibited remarkable restraint.

ALSO: Yellowstone bison stampede like a scene from ‘old westerns’

The honking and traffic might have made a dangerous situation even more dangerous.

Elephants are revered in India and there are laws designed to protect them from harassment.

On May 12 Nanda updated his post to say that the man had been “arrested and taken into custody.”

Alluding to the District Forest Office division involved in the arrest, Nanda wrote: “Well done DFO Dharmapuri. This should serve as a deterrent to others.”

Probe launched as grizzly bear is found dead near Yellowstone

The discovery of a grizzly bear carcass outside of Yellowstone National Park on Monday has prompted investigations by Wyoming and federal authorities.

The discovery of a grizzly bear carcass in outside Yellowstone National Park on Monday has prompted a federal investigation.

The carcass was lying on a Wyoming hillside perhaps 40 yards from the North Fork Highway between Yellowstone and the town of Cody.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has not provided details about the incident. Nor has the agency addressed social media reports that the bear appeared to have been shot.

A spokesman for the agency told FTW Outdoors:

“Grizzly bears are currently managed as a federally protected species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the investigation.

“No further details are available at this time because it is an ongoing investigation.”

Amy Gerber of Cub Creek Photography on Monday posted an image of what she believed was the same large male bear she saw alive more than a week ago. Gerber estimated the bear’s weight at 500 pounds.

Grizzly bear carcass discovered Monday. Photo: ©Amy Wells

Amy Wells captured the image in the body of this text, showing the carcass. (The top image is generic.) More of Wells’ graphic images were shared Monday on a Yellowstone-themed Facebook page.

Grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem continue to emerge from hibernation and search for food in lower elevations. Close encounters with humans often occur during this period.

Anyone with information regarding the dead bear is asked to contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

–Generic grizzly bear image atop this post is courtesy of Yellowstone National Park

Reward offered after video shows boater speeding over sea lions

A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered in the hope of identifying and prosecuting a boater who was caught on video speeding over sea lions earlier this month in the Columbia River.

A $20,000 reward is being offered as federal authorities seek to identify and prosecute a boater who was caught on video speeding over sea lions earlier this month in the Columbia River.

NOAA launched an investigation after the footage, captured April 3 by a Portland resident, began to circulate via social media. (The footage is posted below.)

It shows the boater plowing over groups of sea lions, in apparent violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as the animals rested on the surface near Hayden Island.

Oregon Live reported Friday that NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is offering the reward for information that leads to a “civic penalty or criminal conviction.”

The Marine Mammal Protection Act, passed in 1972, prohibits the hunting or harassment of marine mammals. Harassment is any act that significantly alters the mammals’ behavior.

The number of California sea lions – the same animals that inhabit the Columbia River – has increased steadily since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Recent estimates place the West Coast population at about 280,000.

Fishermen often express frustration regarding sea lions, which possess a seemingly insatiable appetite for salmon and other fishes. But blatant acts of aggression toward sea lions rarely occur in open public settings.

According to Oregon Live, the vessel in question is an aluminum Hewescraft Pro-V Sea Runner with a dark blue stripe, measuring perhaps 20 feet.

Authorities are asking anyone who might recognize the boat or be able to identify the boater reach out to NOAA at 360-310-0259, or via its hotline at 800-853-1964.

Hunter feels ‘violated’ after theft of enormous elk-head trophy

An Oklahoma man is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can help him retrieve a massive elk-head trophy that was stolen from above his outdoor fireplace.

An Oklahoma man is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can help him retrieve a massive elk-head trophy that was stolen from above his outdoor fireplace.

Robert Daniels of Edmond shot the 1,200-pound bull elk while hunting in New Mexico in 2018. He told KFOR that the animal was large that he required the help of two friends to hang the head after it had been preserved by a taxidermist.

“It’s one of those deals I can’t replace no matter what,” he said. “It just breaks my heart.”

Daniels, who filed a report with the Edmond Police Department, valued the mount at $20,000.

Images courtesy of Robert Daniels

Sayra Lynn, a family friend, on Sunday issued a plea via Facebook to anyone who might have witnessed the theft to contact Daniels. Her post includes an image of Daniels posing with the elk after the hunt, and images showing the mount above the fireplace.

ALSO: Yellowstone guide captures intriguing moment shared by cougar, elk

“This mount was located in the backyard outdoor pavilion within the gated community,” Lynn wrote. “These are photos of the mount for identification.”

Daniels told KFOR: “We feel violated. Why would somebody do this? It just amazes me.”

As of Friday afternoon, police had no suspects or surveillance video of the incident.

Idaho conservation officer shoots dog for chasing, killing deer

A conservation officer in Idaho this week made the “tough choice” to shoot and kill a dog as it was chasing deer.

A conservation officer in Idaho this week made the “tough choice” to shoot and kill a dog as it was chasing deer.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the officer was responding to an unrelated call on April 10 in south Pocatello when he was approached by citizens who had just watched two dogs chase and kill a fawn.

After inspecting the dead fawn, the officer witnessed one of the dogs scattering deer from the shade of junipers and attempting to run them down.

“The officer shot the dog which was engaged in pursuit of the animals,” the IDFG stated in a news release.

ALSO: Yellowstone guide captures intriguing moment shared by cougar, elk

A Bannock County Sheriff’s Office deputy told the IDFG that the office had received reports about the same two dogs harassing deer in recent weeks.

The dead dog was returned to its owner, while the owner of the second dog was cited and fined $136.

“According to state code, it is unlawful for people to allow their dogs to harass, chase, or kill big game animals in Idaho, and Fish and Game officers are authorized to shoot dogs that are actively engaged in those behaviors,” the IDFG stated in the news release.

Jennifer Jackson, a spokeswoman for the agency’s Southeast Region, added:

“It’s tough on our officers to have to make these decisions. Many of our officers are dog owners, too.  But, it’s also tough to watch deer being chased down or killed by people’s pets – especially now after such a hard winter when these deer are so vulnerable.”

–Photo: ©Pete Thomas

Fishing boat speeds over sea lions in ‘terrible’ scene caught on video

Video footage has surfaced showing a fishing boat speeding across the Columbia River and running over sea lions in clear violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Video footage has surfaced showing a fishing boat speeding across the Columbia River and running over sea lions in clear violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The footage, captured Monday by a Portland resident, has prompted an investigation by county and federal authorities.

In the footage, the vessel is shown veering toward and over several groups of sea lions as they rest on an otherwise calm surface off Hayden Island.

“Whoever was driving it, they went right through the pack of the first one and it was kind of [like he] was trying to hit every pack and I just looked around me and everybody was devastated,” Michael Brady, who captured the footage, told KGW.

It was not clear if any animals were injured.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act, passed in 1972, prohibits the hunting or harassment of marine mammals, or approaching them too closely. Harassment can be defined as any act that alters the mammals’ behavior.

ALSO: False killer whales devour marlin in dramatic scene captured on video

The footage might also help to illustrate the frustration fishermen experience regarding mammals that are voracious competitors capable of decimating large schools of fish in short order.

“It was inappropriate for sure. But it really is a product of the frustration over the dramatic declines of salmon in the Pacific Northwest in recent years,” Bob Rees, a fishing guide and the executive director of the Northwest Guides and Anglers Association, told the Oregonian. “We don’t have the fishing opportunities that we’ve historically had.”

Said Brady: “I understand the frustration. I understand this year is tough on salmon. But I think this was a sport fisherman who had a little chip on his shoulder and it was terrible to witness as a community here.”

The number of California sea lions – the same animals that inhabit the Columbia River basin – has increased steadily since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Latest estimates place the West Coast population at about 280,000 animals.

Poachers caught with bald eagle they had shot, intended to eat

Two men were cited Wednesday in Nebraska for unlawful possession of a bald eagle, which they had killed as a potential meal.

Two men were cited Wednesday in Nebraska for unlawful possession of a bald eagle, which they had killed as a potential meal.

Ramiro Hernandez-Tziquin and Domingo Zetino-Hernandez, 20-year-old Honduran Nationals, are said to have used a rifle to shoot the eagle on private property outside of Stanton.

The men were charged with misdemeanors but the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release that “more serious charges are possible as the investigation into the unlawful killing continues.”

ALSO: If it’s March, Yellowstone grizzly bears are stirring

Bald eagles, long the national emblem of the United States, have been a protected species since 1940.

The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office located the men late Tuesday while responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle outside the main Wood Duck Recreation Area.

The men, who are from Norfolk, were found to be in possession of a freshly killed bald eagle.

“Further investigation revealed that the two had shot and killed the protected national bird in that area and stated they planned on cooking and eating the bird,” the Sheriff’s Office explained.

Nebraska Game and Parks confiscated the eagle carcass and the rifle used to kill the raptor.

–Generic bald eagle image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Woman lands 16-year prison sentence for trafficking lion parts

A Mozambique court has sentenced a Vietnamese woman to 16 years in prison for possession and trafficking of lion and rhinoceros parts.

A Mozambique court has sentenced a Vietnamese woman to 16 years in prison for possession and trafficking of lion and rhinoceros parts.

According to Club of Mozambique, Trang Kiu Trang was arrested in 2020 at Maputo International Airport. She was found to be in possession of 127 lion claws, 36 lion teeth, and five rhino horns.

Illegal trafficking of items collected from poached wildlife, for sale mostly in Asian markets, can be lucrative. Lion claws and teeth, for example, are in high demand for use as pendants and amulets.

ALSO: Angler’s record pike is the catch of ‘several lifetimes’

According to National Geographic, as tigers become more scarce, poachers and traffickers have turned more of their attention to lions.

But consequences can be steep for those who are caught.

Trang, who received the maximum jail sentence, also was ordered to pay more than $15,000 in fines.

–Image courtesy of Domingo

Poacher doesn’t care to be ethical hunter, claims addiction to venison

Man facing 10 charges for illegal deer hunting makes outrageous claims and admissions to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

A man who admits to being an unethical hunter but doesn’t care because he claims to be addicted to venison was in court last week for a pretrial hearing regarding the 10 charges he faces relating to illegal deer hunting in Michigan.

Scott Kevin Meisterheim, 55, of Kalamazoo was arraigned earlier this month in 8th District Court of Kalamazoo County for taking white-tailed deer outside of lawful hunting hours (one count), hunting white-tailed deer without a license (two counts), using deer hunting licenses of someone else (two counts), taking an over-limit of antlered white-tailed deer (two counts) and transporting/possessing untagged antlered white-tailed deer (three counts).

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources also reported that it requested additional charges for illegal baiting, failing to immediately validate/attach kill tags and using another’s hunting license.

DNR conservation officers began investigating Meisterheim in February 2022 after receiving tips via its Report All Poaching Hotline.

Several witnesses spoke to Conservation Officer James Nason about the suspect’s illegal hunting activity from October to December 2021.

From the DNR:

Evidence collected during the investigation revealed that Meisterheim took at least 11 deer from Oct. 1-Dec. 24, 2021, including three deer Oct. 1, and that he believed he was “tagged out” the first week of archery season. Within three days, Meisterheim let two deer spoil; those were rejected by the processor due to their condition…

Meisterheim, who was hunting without a hunting license, during all hours of the day and while using illegal bait [sic], also obtained other people’s deer tags to cover his illegal deer, if he even tagged them at all.

While serving time in the Kalamazoo County Jail for domestic abuse, Meisterheim made his outrageous claims and admissions in an interview with Nason.

“Sure, I love to kill deer,” he said. “If I could kill more I would, to be honest with you.”

He also said he “is not the most ethical hunter, tagging other people’s deer, but I don’t care—I am addicted to the venison.”

Meisterheim also claimed that injured deer would stumble to and die near his hunting location. This was the reason he gave for being in possession of so many deer.

He also hunted several private properties without permission in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Poachers shoot at elephant-viewing tour boat; ‘scariest day of my life’ (video)

“This is an excellent investigation of a poacher who shows no respect for the resource or the ethics of fair chase,” said Chief Dave Shaw, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Violations of this type deprive law-abiding people of their opportunity to have access to and enjoy a public trust natural resource, in this case white-tailed deer.”

Meisterheim is due back in court in February. He is currently serving 18 months’ probation for aggravated domestic assault in Kalamazoo County.

Photo of the suspect with a deer and generic image of a white-tailed deer courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

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Cooking up great white shark lands food blogger in hot water

A Chinese food blogger who cut up, cooked, and ate a great white shark – and captured the lavish production on video – has been fined $18,500 by authorities.

A Chinese food blogger who bought a great white shark at market, then prepared and ate the apex predator in a lavish video production, has been fined $18,500 by authorities.

The blogger’s user name is Tizi but authorities identified her as Jin Moumou, while explaining last week in a statement that Jin bought the shark last April for $1,100 and posted her footage in July.

The footage went viral, which is what tipped authorities. (CLICK HERE to watch the video.)

White sharks are protected in China and Jin’s actions were in violation of the “Wild Animal Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China,” authorities explained.

ALSO: Texas angler lands giant bass, but photo could be misleading

According to the statement, the fisherman and “shark sellers” were arrested for catching and selling a protected species. The white shark, a juvenile, looks to measure about six feet.

In the footage, a smiling Jin informs her followers, “Don’t be fooled by their scary appearance, its meat is very tender.”

–Top image showing a juvenile great white shark is courtesy of ©Pete Thomas; story images are video screen shots

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