Wild Animals (Protection) Act (Cap. 248)

WILD ANIMALS (PROTECTION) [CH.248 – 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– [Original Service 2001] STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS WILD ANIMALS (PROTECTION) CHAPTER 248 WILD ANIMALS (PROTECTION) ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS SECTION 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3. Taking or capturing of wild animals prohibited. 4. Licences to take, capture and export wild animals. 5. Regulations. 6. Amendment of Schedule. SCHEDULE. WILD ANIMALS (PROTECTION) [CH.248 – 3 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– [Original Service 2001] STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS CHAPTER 248 WILD ANIMALS (PROTECTION) An Act to make provision for the control of the taking and export of wild animals. [Commencement 14th August, 1968] 1. This Act may be cited as the Wild Animals (Protection) Act. 2. In this Act the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say — “Minister” means the Minister responsible for Wild Animals and Bird Protection. “section” means section of this Act; “wild animal” means any animal found living in a natural or feral state in The Bahamas. 3. (1) No person shall, except under and pursuant to a licence from the Minister granted under section 4 — (a) take or capture, or attempt to take or capture, any wild animal specified in the Schedule; or (b) export, or attempt to export, from The Bahamas, any wild animal. (2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction therefor to a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment, and the court may in addition order that any wild animal in respect of which any such offence has been committed shall forthwith be set at liberty. 4. (1) The Minister may, in any case where, upon receipt by him of an application in that behalf, he is satisfied that it is expedient that a wild animal specified in the Schedule should be taken or captured or, as the case may be, that a wild animal should be exported from The Bahamas, in his discretion grant to any person a licence in writing for the purpose. 21 of 1968 E.L.A.O., 1974 Short title. Interpretation. E.L.A.O., 1974. Taking or capturing of wild animals prohibited. Schedule. Licences to take, capture and export wild animals. Schedule. CH.248 – 4] WILD ANIMALS (PROTECTION) STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] (2) Every licence granted under the provisions of this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Minister may think fit, and any terms or conditions imposed in relation to a licence shall be specified therein. 5. The Minister may make regulations generally for giving effect to the provisions of this Act, and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may, make regulations — (a) prescribing the form of applications referred to in subsection (1) of section 4; (b) prescribing the form of licences that may be issued under that section. 6. The Minister may from time to time by order amend the Schedule. SCHEDULE (Sections 4, 6) 1. Wild horses in the Island of Abaco, that is to say, any member of the species Equus Caballus in that Island in a state of nature, including the young of that species. 2. The Agouti or Hutia (Geocapromys ingrahami). 3. The Iguana (Cyclura species). Regulations. Amendment of Schedule.