The brutal death of a Howler monkey in March this year stirred up some discontent among the Forest Department, animal lovers and citizens on a whole.
On Friday, April 5, four students and a teacher, Angel Carillo, who allegedly convinced them to torture the animal, appeared in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court. The four students, all minors, and Carillo were charged for illegal hunting. They were all granted bail of $1,000 each and are to reappear in court on June 26, 2013.
According to the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), hunting means “to kill, take or molest by any method and includes attempting to kill, take or molest by any method any species of wildlife.” Reports are that the accused teacher showed the monkey to some students and it was decided that the animal would be captured.
The students reportedly shot down the monkey from a tree with a slingshot and then tortured the monkey, causing injuries to its eyes, tooth, lip and what seemed to have been head trauma, because the animal kept having seizures.
The Forest Department took the monkey into their care on Wednesday, March 6. The monkey received medical treatment and was in rehabilitation when it died on Friday, March 8.