Fouzia Van Der Fort
27 October 2009
Cape Town animal conservationist Bryan Vorster, better known as Snake Bite Jones, has been hauled to court over the alleged illegal importation of reptiles, including cobras and pythons.
Vorster is accused of illegally importing five spitting cobras, two pythons, three chameleons, three geckos and a centipede.
He was arrested at the Vioolsdrift border in the Northern Cape last week.
Vorster, 46, who was released from police custody, appeared briefly in the Springbok Magistrate's Court on Friday.
The case will resume on November 27.
Last week, officials from the Northern Cape Department of Environment and Nature Conservation's inspection services unit followed a tip-off and found the wildlife allegedly hidden in Vorster's vehicle, while he was trying to cross the border from Namibia.
According to the charge sheet, no one has the right to export or import wildlife without a legal permit.
The animals, with a total value of R55 000, were returned to the Namibian conservation authorities.
Vorster, who has survived multiple snake bites, used to run the reptile shows at Ratanga Junction.
He is well known around Cape Town for his interactive shows with birds and reptiles.
One of Vorster's most recent stints was at the Johannesburg Zoo about two months ago.
Thabo Ditseho, spokesperson for the ministry of environment and nature conservation, said Vorster was well known in reptile circles and was "fully aware of the requirements that permits are needed to import reptiles".
"The illegal collection of reptiles and other wildlife is a serious problem in the Northern Cape, and there is an increase of this activity during the hotter months of the year," he said.
In Namaqualand last week, two Czech Republic men were found with an the illegal collection of beetles and other insects.
They were arrested in the Steinkopf area, fined R2 500 each and asked to leave South Africa as soon as possible.
Their collection was handed over to the McGregor Museum in Kimberley.
That bust was one of four related to wildlife imports and exports reported in the area last week
The department has requested the community's co-operation, and continues to urge them to report such incidents.
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