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September 10, 2008

Toronto Man Convicted Under Species at Risk Act

SARNIA, Ontario– Kung Wing So of Toronto, Ontario was convicted in the Ontario Court of Justice on two counts of unlawfully possessing Blanding’s turtles and a spotted turtle contrary to the Species at Risk Act. This is the third conviction under this Act since June 1, 2004, the date when the prohibition against the killing, harming, capturing, possessing, buying or selling of an endangered species or a threatened species came into force, and the first in Ontario.

Mr. So, who was apprehended with 26 live Blanding’s turtles and one spotted turtle, was fined $10,000 and also was given three years’ probation. The spotted turtle was already dead when seized, but the Blanding’s turtles were returned to the wild by authorities. Both types of turtles are listed in Schedule I of the Species at Risk Act, with the spotted turtle listed as endangered and the Blanding’s turtle (Great Lakes/St. Lawrence population) listed as threatened.  

Mr. So was arrested on August 23, 2007 in a joint operation by Environment Canada and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources officers approximately 30 kms east of Chatham. The spotted and Blanding’s turtles were taken from the waters of the Walpole Island First Nation. Mr. So was charged with the unlawful capture and unlawful possession of the turtles.