The release of deer in Pagan is \u201cexplicitly illegal,\u201d according to Rep. Tina Sablan (D-Saipan) in a Facebook post. However, in a \u201cspecial permit\/hunting for the Northern Islands,\u201d given to the Marianas Visitors Authority, dated June 18, 2020, its release was permitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife.<\/p>\n
Sablan quoted Public Law \u00a717-23 – 2 CMC Section 5803(i): \u201cPurposeful release of captive deer, especially domesticated progeny, into the wild is prohibited. Penalties for purposeful release of captive animals will be imposed and set by the director but will not exceed $1,000 per animal. A person who has previously held a captive rearing permit and purposefully released animals into the wild will not be eligible to renew or obtain another permit.\u201d <\/p>\n
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, along with Youtuber Robert Arrington, who hosts Deer Meat for Dinner, released four deer, two females and two males, into Pagan. Before that, the video showed DLNR Secretary Anthony Benavente helping Torres and Arrington capture the deer to release on Pagan.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt may also be a violation of federal law,\u201d said Sablan \u201cThe Endangered Species Act protects not only endangered and threatened species, but also the habitats in which they are found. Pagan is home to several federally listed endangered and threatened species. Sambar deer are a non-native species known to have destructive impacts on sensitive island ecosystems that are home to plants and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sablan added that DLNR has the authority to enforce the laws that protect the Commonwealth\u2019s natural resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cProblematically, it was the DLNR secretary that issued a permit for the release of Sambar deer on Pagan, an activity that clearly violates CNMI law and may also violate the federal Endangered Species Act,\u201d said Sablan. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with releasing Sambar deer on Pagan? Plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was your [Torres] idea,\u201d said Arrington in his second YouTube video. \u201cHe calls me while I\u2019m still in states, and said \u2018Hey Rob, typhoon wrecked a big area that we keep a lot of animals, there\u2019s four deer there, and we got to find a home. What do you think about taking these sambar deer and turning them loose on Pagan?\u201d<\/p>\n
In the governor\u2019s news briefing yesterday, Torres said that along with the permit from DLNR, he spoke to Northern Islands Mayor Vicente Santos to get approval of releasing the four deer. Additionally, he said it was his idea, and not Arrington.<\/p>\n
Although the permit was for Arrington and MVA\u2019s managing director Priscilla Iakopo, Torres said that he initiated it after bringing up the idea with Benavente.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was under my request\u2026 and part of the promotion,\u201d said Torres.<\/p>\n
Controversy on burning on Pagan<\/p>\n
According to Torres, Arrington reached out to Santos to ask if he could burn some parts that were infected with \u201cbig\u201d centipedes.<\/p>\n
\u201cRob went to the mayor and said, mayor there\u2019s a lot of insects, centipedes over there, certain part of that, so we can get rid of the insects,\u201d said Torres. \u201cMayor said yes and that\u2019s a good idea\u2026 make sure it is contained.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres said there was 10 to 15 people there at the site when Arrington had lit up the area. Additionally, Torres said that there was new grass growing before they left. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a wildfire that you see, it\u2019s not a wildfire that burnt any tree, in fact, I don\u2019t think there was one tree that was burnt down,\u201d said Torres.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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