Saskatchewan man to pay $2,800 for illegally possessing zebras

It might cost the province $120,000 to provide care for the dazzle of zebras staying at the Forestry Farm Park & Zoo in Saskatoon, but a Saskatchewan man is paying just under $3,000 for holding them illegally.

Nicholas Hazell appeared in Indian Head Provincial Court on Tuesday, and pleaded guilty to two violations of Saskatchewan’s Wildlife Act for importing and holding the zebras in captivity without the proper licence on a property near Candiac, southeast of Regina.

He was handed a fine of $2,000 along with a surcharge of $800, which is to be paid by March.

The five zebras were seized from the rural property on June 14, and have since been placed in the care of the Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, where they will remain throughout the winter.

The province is providing $120,000 to help with the maintenance and care required for the animals, and part of that care includes a new, heated barn for the animals, as recommended by the city.

The current barn is not big enough to house all five zebras, zoo manager Jeff Mitchell said in a previous interview, adding that each zebra needs about 500 square feet of space.

Mitchell said zebras can be outside grazing if there is snow on the ground, but the animals can only handle temperatures down to around -9 C, making the need for a new facility fairly urgent as frigid temperatures approach.

There is no timeline as to how long the zebras will remain at the zoo, and they are currently under the ownership of the province.