The Division of Fish and Wildlife issued its first bounty check to a St. Croix resident who recently became a certified Wildlife Control Operator, DPNR Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol announced.
Jose Bermudez brought in eight snakes under four feet, worth $50 each, and two snakes over four feet, worth $100 each, for a total bounty of $600. All the snakes were caught in the Creque Dam area of Frederiksted.
This bounty was rewarded as part of the Invasive Species Eradication Community Program created under Act No. 8450 and sponsored by Sen. Kenneth Gittens. The program, now found under Title 12 of the V.I Code § 111-117, enables DPNR to certify community members to become Wildlife Control Operators who are eligible for bounties or Removal Agents who can start small businesses.
“Senator Gittens was invited to the office to see the fruition of his legislation and participate in issuance of the check for Mr. Bermudez, said DFW Director Nicole F. Angeli. “We encourage everyone who wants to make a difference in the conservation of our native species to sign up for this monumental program,” concluded Angeli.
For those interested in becoming certified by the Division of Fish and Wildlife to become a Wildlife Control Operator or Wildlife Control Removal Agent, information can be found on the DPNR website under the wildlife resource tab.
