According to the Hendersonville Times-News, Walter Clarence Kidd of Henderson county will have to hand over his collection of poisonous snakes and lizards after pleading guilty to 15 counts of possessing endangered animals and failure to properly label containers of poisonous snakes. The reptile collection is reported to be worth nearly $50,000.
[Kidd] also received a suspended sentence of 45 days in jail, a $200 fine and two years of probation. In addition, Kidd must pay $1,175 in restitution to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, which has cared for the venomous vipers since they were seized from his mobile home by sheriff’s deputies and wildlife officers on Aug. 5. The 60 reptiles include a cobra, Gaboon viper, albino cottonmouth, 17 rattlesnakes and five poisonous lizards, according to a search warrant.
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