Ending an Era of Anima Abuse

Wildlife crusader is facing legal, neighborhood troubles

[CITY Edition]
St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Author: SUSAN EASTMAN
Date: Jul 11, 1993
Start Page: 1
Section: COMMUNITY TIMES
Text Word Count: 1306
Document Text

In some circles, Bert Wahl and his panther are living symbols of wildlife conservation.

In February, the 300-pound panther glided across the floor of the Florida Senate to call attention to the plight of the endangered species. It had its picture taken with movie actress Mariel Hemingway and Britain's Prince Charles. When the state unveiled the new Florida panther license plate, the animal shared the stage with Gov. Lawton Chiles and other dignitaries.

But most of Wahl's neighbors say living next door to the conservation crusader and his animal menagerie, which includes four panthers and two bobcats, is a major pain.

"When the cougars come into heat, you can't sleep at night," neighbor Meg Pylant complained. "They howl and screech. They call for the male. It's constant."

"It's not like a neighbor dog barking, which can be a nuisance," said Steve LaBour, a spokesman for Mayor Sandy Freedman. "These are wild animals, and they make wild animal noises."

People who live near Wahl's headquarters on Hiawatha Street have compiled thick notebooks of evidence that they say show Wahl's Wildlife Rescue Inc. facility is violating city codes and state and federal wildlife guidelines.

Neighbors videotaped the center. They complained to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. They complained to police and the city's code enforcement office. More than two dozen neighbors petitioned the City Council to shut down the facility.

"We have tried to reason with him, but forget it," Virginia Schwab said. "We have gone through the legal process."

A few weeks ago, Wahl's panther was stretched out across a sofa in George Kickliter's law firm. He wasn't there as part of a conservation lesson. He was there because Wahl is waging a battle for the survival of the non-profit wildlife rescue and education company he started in 1982.

Wahl claims he has rescued 11,000 animals in the 11 years he has operated in Hillsborough County. But now, he said, his work is being hampered by his legal troubles.

"We have been under the gun," Wahl complained. "The city and the state have been constantly haranguing us. Now, instead of helping animals, we are trying to keep the wolves from the back and the front of the door."

Last week, state officials removed two deer, an otter and a tortoise from Wahl's care and cited him for keeping animals in improper cages. The city already had declared Wahl a public nuisance and had moved to foreclose on his property.

"There is no question in our mind that Mr. Wahl is trying to do good," LaBour said. "It is just our feeling now that he has been successful and has grown bigger than the neighborhood can stand."

Saturday afternoon, about 45 people showed up at a local church to discuss Wahl's problems. Most think Wahl is getting a raw deal.

"It is a long story of lies, deception, deceit, and it is all funded by your tax dollars," said Mark Moretti, who does charitable work for Wildlife Rescue Inc.

"Why is he being harassed? Simple politics," Moretti said.

Wahl began his wildlife program in a house he bought in Seminole Heights in 1982. At first, Pylant said, most of the neighbors sympathized with Wahl's efforts to rescue injured animals.

The problems started when Wahl acquired a panther cub and began the education programs that have brought him much public recognition and praise.

Schwab claims Wahl said he planned to move to a more rural setting as the operation grew, but when he bought two other houses in the neighborhood, she began to question his plans.

To feed the animals, fresh red meat is chopped daily at sinks that are 8 feet from Schwab's bedroom and work room, she said.

Flies congregate on the front porch. When Schwab does yard work, the flies light on her back. The odor of the animals, even if controlled, is noticeable, she said.

"I cannot continue to live like this," Schwab said. "It just is not fair."

Wildlife officials said they took some of Wahl's animals last week because he had not corrected problems he was told to fix during an inspection earlier this month.

The seizure follows criminal misdemeanor charges levied against Wahl for violating state regulations when he caged a black bear in Polk County, and two clouded leopards, two deer and an otter on Hiawatha Street.

The deer were being kept in a back yard that game officials said was filled with debris, according to an inspection report. The otter was being kept in an air carrier with no pool, according to the report, and Wahl did not have proper approval to house the leopards.

Each of the charges could result in a $500 fine and/or 60 days in jail. Wahl and the manager of Wildlife Rescue Inc. also are charged with denying inspectors access to the facility.

The city began fining him $250 a day in March, and recently began trying to foreclose on the three properties Wahl owns in Seminole Heights to satisfy the accumulated fines.

City Council member Scott Paine said he met with neighbors and Wahl in an effort to resolve the problems.

"We could not get him to see that this was a problem," Paine said.

Paine said the state's actions made him wonder whether Wildlife Rescue Inc. is living up to the image it has acquired in the community.

"It was created to address a very worthy cause," Paine said. "But that is not an excuse for not complying with the law."

Calling the state's actions capricious, arbitrary and absurd, Kickliter, Wahl's attorney, said he will move to have the charges dismissed.

"It is incredible to me that a game officer can come to your house and demand entry when a police officer or a sheriff officer cannot," Kickliter said.

He said the alleged violations are minor offenses that can be corrected easily. He noted that the animals taken by wildlife officials were basically in good health.

"It is a shame to see him being seized, piecemeal, for the slightest technical violation," Kickliter said. "The animals are healthy, thriving, well-cared for. There is no abuse and no cruelty."

In the long-term, Kicklighter said, Wahl knows he needs to move his operation. Kickliter suggested that the city, state and the neighbors help Wahl find an appropriate setting where he can continue his work.

"He is providing a valuable public service," Kickliter said. "Fining him and making him bankrupt is not the answer."

The animals taken last week were in good health, agreed Jerry Thompson, the inspections coordinator for the state game commission, except for the gopher tortoise. The reptile had injuries to its feet, claws and head, he said. A veterinarian will evaluate how long the animal has had the injuries, he said.

As Wahl gave a tour of his facility last week, he climbed into a cage with the panther he raised from a cub, stroking the animal's head and putting his finger in its mouth.

His relationship with the male panther has astounded animal experts.

Robert F. Sisson, who served as the chief of the natural sciences division of National Geographic magazine, wrote to Wahl that he had "never seen such complete oneness between an animal and its human companion."

Wahl said the panther gets attention, but the real mission is to teach people how to live in peace with the raccoons, opossums and other animals that carve out homes in urban settings.

"This is an issue Wildlife Rescue would like to get involved in," Wahl said. "But we are embroiled in our survival."