Crocodile hunting an open secret in St Elizabeth

WESTERN BUREAU:

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is calling for harsher penalties for persons found to be poaching crocodiles as Jamaicans continue to hunt the protected species for meat.

Jamaica has only one species of crocodile, the American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus), found mainly along the south coast and in sections of Hanover and Trelawny. Crocodiles have been classified as an endangered and protected species in Jamaica since 1971.

Under Section 6 of the Wildlife Protection Act, it is considered an offence to hunt them or to have in one’s possession any part of the animals or their eggs. Under Section 20 of the act, harming or hunting the reptiles can result in fines of up to $100,000 or 12 months in prison.

Reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner suggest that St Elizabeth, traditionally known as Jamaica’s Breadbasket Parish, is also a prime hunting ground for persons craving crocodile meat, especially the tails. Communities such as Parottee, Slipe and areas along the Black River Morass are renowned for crocodile hunting in the wetlands.

Lipton*, a fisherman residing in the Parottee area, admitted that hunters are setting traps for the reptiles in the neighbouring swamplands.

“Mi nuh really deal wid di crocodile meat ‘cause a problem enuh wid di authorities. Mi can catch dem, but mi don’t catch dem because mi nuh inna di hackling wid di police. My neighbour used to do it, but she come outta it. She used to cut off di two back foot and strip off the skin and sell the meat,” he told The Sunday Gleaner.

“Right now, dem have three traps across the water ... . You leave it overnight, because dem nuh catch inna di day, dem catch inna di night. You leave the trap with a piece of chicken or chicken back, and hang on with the hook, so when the crocodile drag it down, it hold him,” he said of the process.

CROCODILE PARTIES

Lipton explained that several years ago, prior to the authorities’ crackdown on the practice of selling crocodile meat, men from the neighbouring parish of Westmoreland would cross the border to seek out and catch the reptiles.

“We used to go to crocodile party during week time, but as soon as the police talk bad against it, dem [organisers] cut off from it. Westmoreland man used to come set dem trap and catch dem – all five, six, eight of them for the day,” the fisherman outlined.

But although he said he no longer engages in the practice, Lipton still has connections with persons who do.

“If you want one, mi woulda haffi arrange one. What you want, the meat itself? Normally, we nuh sell di head part; it’s from the back foot go back down [to the tail], because dem nuh sell di belly part,” he noted.

Bill*, a resident in nearby Slipe, said that residents of Parottee and even people from Westmoreland indulge in crocodile hunting in the area, but denied knowledge of anyone in his own district involved in the practice.

But Sunday Gleaner sources in the area indicate that the practice is rife in Slipe.

“It wouldn’t be di guys from dem ya region here,” Bill maintained. “I understand the Westmoreland man dem a eat di crocodile tails, and further across Parottee way, over deh so. If you go and find dem dead, you see the tail missing. ... Dem woulda go inna di night and catch dem and gone.”

In May, the carcass of a crocodile was left to rot in the drains in parish capital Black River. Its tail was missing.

A boat operator, who carries visitors on guided tours of Black River’s wetlands, noted that the reptile was cornered in a culvert close to the town square.

“It was up in the culvert him come, straight up there,” said the guide. “Him was dere long, long, and eventually a man come for him, and from that, the tail end of the croc gone. Dem make a meal out of him.”

Joe*, a resident of the area, told The Sunday Gleaner that he has frequently seen the tail-severing practice. He scoffed at the fact that such a practice is illegal under Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act.

“If people can walk and kill innocent people, then how much more so for crocodiles?” Joe remarked. “You have some youth weh just come up here wid dem igloo ... . Dem carry it (crocodile tails) to go sell to the restaurant dem.”

But Reggie*, a guide at St Elizabeth’s Black River Safari, had doubts as to whether crocodile meat is fit for human consumption.

“You have people eating crocodiles, but the only way to get the meat is to [severely hurt or] kill the crocodile, and a lot of crocodiles are in this area. The meat has bacteria in it, because the crocodile is the scavenger for the wetland, just like we have the john crow, and if it is a man he finds, or a dog, he eats it,” Reggie explained.

“But you cannot tell a man what to eat or what he likes, because plenty people eat that meat, whether overseas people or locals. Regularly, I ask them how it tastes,” Reggie added with a chuckle.

REQUESTS FOR ANIMAL TO PREPARE THE MEAT

Despite appeals from NEPA for Jamaicans to desist from harming, hunting, or otherwise molesting crocodiles, the practice continues.

Shahri Miller, public relations officer at NEPA, told The Sunday Gleaner that sometimes residents make brazen requests during operations by the agency to relocate reptiles found outside of their natural habitats.

“There are occasional findings and sightings of dead crocodiles being encountered in the environment [and] the presentation of the carcass suggests the animals were poached for meat. Also, during wildlife rescues of a displaced crocodile, it is not uncommon for residents to request being gifted the animal to prepare the meat,” Miller said.

“Crocodile poaching and selling of meat is an illegal activity. Direct reports of sale are extremely rare. In lieu of direct reports, there are unsubstantiated anecdotal reports which are difficult to act on. The anecdotal reports point to Clarendon, St Catherine, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth,” she added, noting that this correlates to areas with larger populations of crocodiles.

When contacted, Deputy Superintendent of Police Adrian Hamilton, who is in charge of the Westmoreland Police Division, said that he was not aware of any reports of people from his division engaging in crocodile hunting. However, he warned that those found to be participants would be brought to book.

“I have heard of the practice, but it is the first I am hearing of it associated with Westmoreland or anywhere in Westmoreland. However, I would not encourage that at all, and I would simply say that persons should desist and not run afoul of the law,” said Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent of Police Coleridge Minto, the commanding officer for St Elizabeth, said that he had not received any information suggesting that crocodile hunting has been taking place in that parish. However, he promised to look into the matter.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NEEDED

In 2017, NEPA offered a $100,000 reward, now discontinued, for information that would lead to the arrest and charge of persons getting involved in the illegal capture, sale, or purchase of crocodiles. At that time, reports had surfaced that crocodile meat was being sold for $2,000 per pound, with buyers in St Elizabeth, Clarendon, and St Thomas.

More recently, legal action was taken against Anthony Vassell for allegedly breaching Section 6 of the Wildlife Protection Act. He allegedly hunted an American crocodile between February 21 and March 10, 2020, resulting in the death of the reptile. That case is ongoing before the Clarendon Parish Court.

In the meantime, Miller acknowledged that NEPA remains concerned about the current lack of available resources to combat crocodile poaching.

“NEPA requires additional resources in order to patrol and monitor these sensitive areas and to investigate anecdotal reports. Further, in order to be more effective, a dedicated public education effort would be needed to highlight the plight of this endangered species and the need to protect them,” said Miller.

“Through this campaign, citizens would be incentivised to report cases of poaching or instances where crocodile meat is being sold or prepared. An important measure that is also needed is increased fines and penalties to serve as a deterrent,” she added.

*Names changed.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com