The opening of the 2015 hunting season has put wildlife on the run. On Tuesday night a two-year old anteater seeking refuge ran into the yard of Cindy Mohammed, of Killdeer Trace, Rio Claro. Mohammed placed the animal in a cage and sought help on social media.
Kishan Ramcharan, a Forester 1 attached to the Forestry Division, Ministry of Agriculture, said he came upon the request while browsing online later that evening.
He said: “I observed a post with someone inquiring of a strange species that ventured into their property, I replied, informing her that the species is a silky anteater also called Poor Me One and that it was a protected species and not listed as a game species under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
“She told me she would prefer that it be relocated rather than released in the nearby forests as hunting goes on a regular basis and she was concerned for its safety.”
Ramcharan said he advised her to keep it in a safe enclosure until arrangements were made to assist with the animal’s relocation.”
Ramcharan and volunteer conservationists Taariq Ali, Kristopher and Christian Rattansingh, went to Mohammed’s home on Wednesday night.
“We sensitised them that it was one out of two species of anteaters in Trinidad. The other being the three toed anteater or matapel, both species have an appetite for ants and small insects and we explained that it was protected.”
Ramcharan said the anteater was taken to an undisclosed wildlife sanctuary where more species like that could be found and introduced it to the area.
He said: “In wildlife sanctuaries, hunting is strictly prohibited. The gender was determined to be a male with an average of two to three years old.
“The anteater was given the name Marvin and will also be monitored by the Forestry Division, Ramcharan said.