Former Animal Planet Host Pleads Guilty to Selling Endangered Lizards
- 10 years ago
A man who once hosted a show on Animal Planet recently landed in court. Donald Schultz is a self proclaimed lizard expert and the former host of Animal Planet’s ‘Wild Recon’ series.
A man who once hosted a show on Animal Planet recently landed in court. Donald Schultz is a self proclaimed reptile expert and the former host of Animal Planet’s ‘Wild Recon’ series.
Schultz was recently sentenced to two years probation and 200 hours of community service. His punishment pertains to the illegal sale of two endangered Iranian desert monitor lizards.
Schultz made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a charge of violating the Endangered Species Act. The investigation into Schultz stretches back to 2006.
It was then that authorities in New York seized a package, which was addressed to Schultz, containing smuggled lizards from South Africa. In 2006, Schultz was a licensed wildlife importer but by 2010, his license expired.
In that year, an undercover agent purchased two Iranian desert monitor lizards for $2,500 from Schultz. The lizards were soon shipped to another undercover agent in Buffalo, New York.
The lizards were taken into custody and legal charges were issued against Schultz. In addition to probation and community service, Schultz will also have to pay 9 thousand dollars in fines.
A man who once hosted a show on Animal Planet recently landed in court. Donald Schultz is a self proclaimed reptile expert and the former host of Animal Planet’s ‘Wild Recon’ series.
Schultz was recently sentenced to two years probation and 200 hours of community service. His punishment pertains to the illegal sale of two endangered Iranian desert monitor lizards.
Schultz made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a charge of violating the Endangered Species Act. The investigation into Schultz stretches back to 2006.
It was then that authorities in New York seized a package, which was addressed to Schultz, containing smuggled lizards from South Africa. In 2006, Schultz was a licensed wildlife importer but by 2010, his license expired.
In that year, an undercover agent purchased two Iranian desert monitor lizards for $2,500 from Schultz. The lizards were soon shipped to another undercover agent in Buffalo, New York.
The lizards were taken into custody and legal charges were issued against Schultz. In addition to probation and community service, Schultz will also have to pay 9 thousand dollars in fines.