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alexk
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An 18-year-old unemployed man has been granted $50,000 own bail on 105 wildlife charges.
Ricardo Hospedales is accused of having several protected birds, two turtles and a South American capybara in his possession.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Princes Town Magistrate Nalini Singh.
Hospedales was arrested on Saturday during an anti-crime exercise by officers of the Moruga Police Station and game wardens from the Forestry Division.
It is alleged that the police executed a search warrant at a house at Lanse Mitan Road, Moruga where they found 30 white eyed parakeets, 12 blue and gold macaws, one Hans macaw, eight black headed parrots, two red footed tortoises and a capybara which is the largest rodent in the world.
He was charged by senior game warden Steve Seepersad with 54 charges of possession of a protected animal and 51 charges of clipping the wings of a protected animal.
It took the magistrate about an hour to read all the charges to him.
Singh, who went to the car park to view the animals which were in cages in a vehicle, ordered that they be handed over to the Wildlife Section of the Forestry Division. The matter was adjourned to July 26.