A bobcat and a coyote were caught on a Colorado Parks and Wildlife camera engaging in a fiery standoff over food. In another incident, a Northern California couple, Byron Lee Fitzpatrick and Shannon Lee Price, were discovered to be involved in several wildlife crimes after discussing hunting with state Fish and Wildlife officers on a flight. The couple revealed that they had illegally smuggled the skull of an endangered sea turtle from the East Coast and had unlawfully taken a mountain lion, among other violations.
Following their admissions, an investigation led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service resulted in the couple and their relative, Harry Vern Fitzpatrick, being convicted and fined for their crimes. Wildlife officers seized various animals from the couple’s residence, including deer, mountain lion claws, and other protected species. At the family member’s residence in Napa County, officers found taxidermied mountain lions and a wolverine, also fully protected species.
The Butte and Napa County district attorney’s offices filed formal complaints against the couple for poaching crimes, while violations related to the sea turtle skull and other wildlife parts were turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The individuals involved were fined, convicted, and ordered to serve probation as a result of their actions. The case highlights the importance of wildlife conservation and the enforcement of laws to protect natural resources and prevent illegal wildlife trafficking, which can fund criminal organizations worldwide.
