A Palmerston North man who recorded himself removing a venomous sea snake from a North Island beach and shared it on TikTok has been ordered to pay $500 to Save the Kiwi.
A spokesperson for the Department of Conservation (DoC) said Alex Gordon-Stables pleaded guilty to one Wildlife Act charge.
Gordon-Stables appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced.
"DoC charged him with unlawful possession of wildlife after he and two unknown associates discovered the yellow-bellied sea snake/neke at Tangimoana Beach in Manawatu in April 2021."
DoC said after Gordon-Stables discovered the sea snake, he and his associates proceeded to put the sea snake in a plastic bag and travelled to a nearby store to find a box to put it in.
After the store visit, Gordon-Stables took it to a nearby residence where he called DoC's 0800 number.
"[He] was urged to return the snake to the sea by a DoC staff member."
Gordon-Stables ignored the advice and took the snake 45 minutes inland to Palmerston North.
"During that journey, the snake died and was disposed of. Its carcass was never recovered."
DoC was then alerted to Gordon-Stable's actions after he shared three videos of the ordeal on TikTok. In one of the three videos the snake can be seen being prodded and shoved with a stick.
In an interview with DoC, Gordon-Stables claimed he removed the snake from the beach because he thought it might have bitten a member of the public if he didn't take it.
But he also admitted to sharing the videos of the snake on TikTok in an effort to get likes for his content.
DoC's principal compliance officer Dylan Swain said his actions were aggravated by the disregard for the advice he received.
"When he called the DoC hotline, he was told in no uncertain terms to return the animal to the sea or the beach," he said.
"But he did not do that. Had he followed the very clear advice from DoC, and not boasted about his find on TikTok, we would not have pursued this prosecution."
Gordon-Stables has also been ordered to pay $250 in court costs and to serve 50 hours of community service.
Neke venom has the potential to kill small children, DoC said, warning it can cause vomiting and paralysis in adults who are bitten.
