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Letter to the Chief Forest Officer
16 December 2003
Mr. Oswaldo Sabido
Chief Forest Officer
Belmopan
Dear Mr. Sabido:
I hope all is going well with you and your work during these busy days as we approach the New Year.
I am writing to bring an important matter to your attention.
Recently, and repeatedly, it has been passed on to me that Maruba Resort Jungle Spa in Maskall, has been selling “Viper Rum”. To verify these claims, Tony Garel, Chair of BACONGO, and co-author of A FIELD GUIDE TO THE SNAKES OF BELIZE, went there.
Maruba is selling both non-venomous and venomous species of snakes in two different sized bottles.
Attached to this letter are photos of a bottle of “Viper Rum” and the receipt for 80.00, which Mr. Garel paid in order to obtain the sample. Maruba is selling the larger bottle for USD100.00. The species of snake in the bottle obtained by Mr. Garel is the Red Coffee Snake, Ninia sebae, a small, non-venomous snake which is completely harmless to humans.
The following direct violations reflected by this activity include:
1. Collecting and selling species of wildlife, which opposes the regulations set in place by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1981.
2. Posing a public health threat. On the bottles, one is given the impression to drink this as it is a “Distinctive Belizean Spirit That Won’t Let You Down”. Clearly evident in the bottom of the bottle is dissolving necrotic tissue from the snake.
3. The Maruba Jungle Lodge is either distilling their own rum, or decanting rum already produced for the purpose of “preserving” species of snakes to sell to the public. Whichever, both of these activities are not sanctioned.
Apparently, the managers of Maruba are encouraging and paying villagers in nearby communities to capture species of snakes for their “Viper Rum” activity. This weakens the diligent work of all conservation NGOs in Belize, who, for years have been emphasizing that all species of wildlife play an important role in the ecology of our country and deserves respect and conservation attention.
Also, this illegal activity sends an inappropriate message to foreign visitors to Belize.
We are a nation strongly promoting ourselves as a destination where our dynamic natural resources can be seen and appreciated. As the busy tourist season approaches, it would seem prudent to dissolve this illegal scheme generated and in current implementation by the Maruba Jungle Lodge. On a national and international level, this type of activity degrades the environmental profile of Belize.
Organizations and individuals, both in Belize and abroad, hope that your Department will take whatever official action is necessary in order to put a final end to this illegal and unprincipled activity.
Thank you for your attention and consideration regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
Sharon Matola, Director
Cc: Mr. Marcelo Windsor
Enc: Photos
Receipt
A FIELD GUIDE TO THE SNAKES OF BELIZE
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