Two snowmobilers were handed big fines after being caught by British Columbia conservation areas in a forbidden area.
The two men were found after officers aboard a helicopter spotted tracks while flying around the Williams Lake area.
Officials say the two operators went to significant efforts to evade the officers before eventually being arrested near Caribou Lake.
One man was fined $5,050 after being found guilty of operating a snowmobile in a closed area, obstructing a Conservation Officer and operating a snowmobile in a reckless manner.
The other man was fined $4,000 for operating a snowmobile in a closed area.
Of the $9,050 in fines, a total of $8,700 will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
Two Williams Lake men have been fined $9, 050 in connection with snowmobiling in areas closed to protect mountain...
Posted by Conservation Officer Service on Thursday, December 17, 2020
"Recreational snowmobiling in illegal areas can displace mountain caribou from high-quality winter habitat, threatening an already endangered population," said BCCOS in a release.
"Snowmobile closures to protect critical mountain caribou habitat are in place across BC - more than one million hectares across the mountain caribou range are closed to motorized winter recreation to support population recovery."
The BCCOS hopes these significant fines will deter any snowmobilers from a similar incident.
