Two men in South Texas were caught smuggling seven white-tailed deer from a breeding facility across county lines. They intended to illegally release the animals on private property, according to the Dallas Morning News.
What happened?
The individuals — a deer breeder and his business partner — were apprehended by a Montgomery County game warden after their attempt to transport the deer without proper documentation or identification was discovered during a traffic stop.
Other breaches of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department requirements were also at play, along with criminal and traffic infractions. The two were charged with over 30 total violations apiece. They were later convicted and fined $12,060, the Dallas Morning News reported.
Why are wildlife regulations important?
The smugglers were likely trying to release the deer to be hunted for sport. Deer hunting is a $9.6 billion business in Texas, TPWD Law Enforcement director Col. Ronald VanderRoest explained to the Dallas Morning News.
In particular, the white-tailed species is in demand, with devoted communities of "white-tailed deer mafia" popping up around the United States and Canada.
Yet releasing rogue deer into the wild can destabilize the species, the economy built around them, and their entire ecosystem.
Breeders must test deer for illnesses like chronic wasting disease, give them an ID tag, and follow other permitting requirements — all things that the convicted men tried to skirt around. Since the deer had no ID and their health status was unknown, they were euthanized for the protection of other animals, the Dallas Morning News reported.
"Flagrant violations, such as intentionally transferring deer without identifiers, hinder Texas' ability to identify the source of a deer in the event of a disease detection," Col. VanderRoest added, per the outlet.
Plus, white-tailed deer are considered an invasive species when too many of them overrun an area, as their eating habits can weaken a forest's biodiversity.
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Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species?
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Definitely 👍 Suffice it to say that unregulated human meddling with wildlife population numbers is a bad idea. It upsets the natural balance of an ecosystem and can make conservation efforts more difficult.
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What's being done about illegal smuggling?
The state's strict regulations and fines are in place for situations exactly like these, and enforcing them protects the health of both free-range and captive wildlife.
Many organizations also combat poaching and smuggling on a global scale, such as the Rainforest Trust.
"This prosecution sends a clear message: those who knowingly violate these laws will be held accountable," Montgomery County assistant district attorney Ann Kuykendall said, per the Dallas Morning News.
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