Man charged with wildlife offences including amputating mouse's leg, taking flying lemur and selling snake

SINGAPORE: A 23-year-old Singaporean man was charged in court on Wednesday (Oct 2) with multiple wildlife offences, including amputating the leg of a mouse without anaesthesia and selling multiple animals such as a corn snake and a box turtle.

Jenson Neo was handed 13 charges, mostly under the Wildlife Act.

According to the charge sheets, he is accused of committing the offences between January 2022 and February 2024.

In January 2022, Neo allegedly took two mangrove snakes from an unknown location without written approval from the director-general of wildlife management.

In July 2022, he allegedly amputated the front right leg of a mouse without the necessary anaesthesia and analgesia to alleviate its pain, when he was not a qualified veterinarian.

This caused unnecessary pain and suffering to the animal, the charge stated.

On Jul 7, 2023, Neo allegedly offered for sale on Telegram a bird belonging to the Falconiformes order, a protected wildlife species. 

On Jul 11, 2023, Neo allegedly kept a reticulated python at a house in Jalan Dermawan, in the Hillview area in Bukit Batok.

Neo is accused of offering a Malayan box turtle for sale on Telegram on Aug 11, 2023. About a month later, he allegedly sold a sugar glider to a person named Lisa for S$50.

In October 2023, Neo allegedly took a colugo or flying lemur from Dairy Farm Nature Park without approval.

In January 2024, Neo allegedly sold a corn snake to a "Lionel Ng" for S$250 without approval from the director-general of wildlife management.

Later that month, he allegedly took a common palm civet from somewhere in Jalan Dermawan without written approval. 

Neo was caught after selling the civet at a playground to a National Parks Board officer who was presumably undercover. He is said to have tried to flee and opened the cage to release the animal.

Neo indicated that he would plead guilty and was given a date to do so on Nov 7.

For causing unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal, Neo could be jailed for up to 18 months, fined up to S$15,000, or both.

For taking wildlife from any place without approval, he could be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

For offering protected wildlife for sale, Neo could be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$50,000, or both.

For selling wildlife, he could be jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

For hindering an enforcement officer, he could be jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.