Antiques dealer fined for possessing hundreds of frozen, stuffed animals

A Victorian man has been fined $10,000 after more than 700 dead animals, including emus and echidnas, were found at his home and antiques business last year.

Glenn Richard Rollo, aged 74, was sentenced in the Kyneton Magistrates' Court yesterday after pleading guilty to wildlife and animal welfare charges.

The Conservation Regulator said investigators found taxidermied and frozen animals across the two properties last year as part of a major investigation into the illegal wildlife trade.

Seventy-eight emus, 42 brushtail possums and 26 echidnas were found, as well as the remains of threatened species, including the barking owl, diamond python and Murray River short-necked turtle.

Investigators also found 15 live reptiles, including native snakes and turtles, as well as North American red-eared slider turtles and corn snakes, which are prohibited pest animals in Victoria that cannot be kept without authorisation.

Rollo pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including selling and possessing protected and threatened wildlife, failing to provide treatment to a sick animal, and failing to keep wildlife in a suitable enclosure.

Magistrate Patrick Southey said he would have imposed a fine of $15,000 if Rollo had not pleaded guilty.

Penalty 'doesn't send a message'

Conservation Regulator director of regulatory operations Cal Heppell said anyone who kept, traded or possessed wildlife had to comply with the law.

"The scale of offending in this case highlights why Victoria has strong protections in place for wildlife and animal welfare," he said.

"These requirements are not optional."

Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcel lives near the antiques store in Kyneton and says the case has "horrified" locals.

"Ten-thousand dollars for a crime like this is absolutely appalling," she said.

"It doesn't send a message to the rest of our community that disrespect towards our wildlife just absolutely won't be tolerated."

Ms Purcel said it was a clear example of Victoria's wildlife protections laws "failing".

"It's been another term of parliament, we've had two so far where the government has failed on the commitment to modernise the Wildlife Act, which is now over 50 years old," she said.

Last year the government released its response to an independent review of the Wildlife Act, introducing higher maximum penalties and new offences for wildlife crimes.