by: Sierra Rains

Posted: Jul 30, 2025 / 10:15 PM EDT

Updated: Jul 31, 2025 / 07:14 AM EDT

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DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. (WFLA) — A DeFuniak Springs man was arrested this week after deputies said they learned he had been setting traps for feral cats and then, on at least one occasion, killing them.

Deputies began an investigation on Tuesday, July 29, after a neighbor living on West Violent Lane reported smelling a foul odor coming from a trash can, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said.Barking, screaming Marine shoots at apartment managers, Hillsborough sheriff says

The caller also reported seeing “numerous” cat traps in the area, according to authorities.

The trash can had been placed by the road early that morning. Deputies looked inside and said they found a dead cat inside of a bag. Investigators said the cat was covered in blood and appeared to have a large, swollen contusion on the side of its head.

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Deputies noticed two armed and baited animal traps near the property’s fence line as they were looking around the area, according to the sheriff’s office.

A gate was blocking off the entrance to the home, but deputies said they were able to contact the man living there, Richard Steven Taylor, 64, over the phone.

When asked about the traps, deputies said Taylor argued he had done nothing wrong and told them he was allowed to set them out since “the cats are pests.”

He told deputies he had been putting out traps for the last 10 years to catch feral cats and said he “kills the ****** things when [he] catches them,” according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies said Taylor became “increasingly agitated” while talking to them. They eventually asked him to come out and speak with them in person. He did so, wearing only his underwear, according to authorities.

Several minutes passed as Taylor “berated deputies using profanity, calling them names, and making threats,” the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies informed Taylor they were placing him under arrest, but said he refused to exit his fence several times. Authorities said he gave into their commands after they allowed him to put more clothes on.

Taylor was charged with aggravated animal cruelty causing death, threatening a first responder with physical harm, and obstruction without violence. He was booked into the Walton County Jail and was later released on a $21,000 bond.

Mongabay.com

23 Jul 2025Asia

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In Sri Lanka, the fate of an aging, injured leopard, well-loved by tourists, has triggered a debate. Wildlife enthusiasts are urging authorities to help the leopard, named Neluma, in Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest protected area. However, wildlife officials and conservationists are against intervening and providing veterinary support, Mongabay contributor Malaka Rodrigo reported in June.

Neluma has long been a favorite of visitors and photographers at Wilpattu. Over the years, he’s become known for his tolerance for vehicles, which means he was often spotted during safari tours.

Now more than 10 years old, Neluma has shown not just signs of aging but also injuries. Besides a large bump on his belly, believed to be a hernia, Rodrigo reports that Neluma was injured during a buffalo herd’s counterattack after a failed attempt to hunt a buffalo calf. He was recently spotted limping. Another video showed a domestic dog fighting back and escaping from Neluma — something that would have been unlikely in the leopard’s prime.

“Neluma is more than a wild animal as he is an icon of Wilpattu and a symbol of Sri Lanka’s natural heritage. He deserves care in his time of need,” Wasiri Rasu Gajaman, a medical professional and wildlife photographer, told Rodrigo.

But conservationists and wildlife officials disagree. Namal Kamalgoda, an independent environmental activist, said that if Neluma is taken away for temporary treatment, younger male leopards may take over his territory.

“At his age, he won’t be able to reclaim it, which would make his survival even more difficult,” Kamalgoda said. “In nature, countless leopards die young. Are we to intervene only when the animal is well known? Ultimately, the unwritten rule in the jungle is survival of the fittest.”

Rukshan Jayewardene, a leading conservationist, told Mongabay that while helping an aging leopard is an act of compassion, it can have unintended consequences, including increased human interaction and conflicts, as was seen recently in the case of a tiger killing a forest ranger in India.

Tharaka Prasad, director of wildlife health at Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), said his office would not intervene. “Neluma is an old leopard and tranquilizing him would be risky. Treating apex predators is not like treating a domestic animal as you need to monitor them through recovery and plan for their rehabilitation, which also demands substantial resources.”

Moreover, Sri Lanka only has 15 wildlife veterinarians, Prasad said, which means the department prioritizes cases of human-wildlife conflict.

“We face serious ethical dilemmas on a daily basis … As wildlife managers, we’re not supposed to intervene in natural cases. But as veterinarians, we cannot turn away from wounded animal brought to us, regardless of the cause,” he said, referring to cases when villagers or wildlife officers call on them after breaking up fights between rival elephants.

Read Malaka Rodrigo’s full story here.

Banner image of Neluma in Sri Lanka’s Wilpattu National Park. Image courtesy of Namal Kamalgoda.