It’s a small caiman, but
a prize catch nonetheless.
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First
the “iguana man”
carefully skins the beast.
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… then the young bushman
gets down to gutting the ’gator.
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IN this age of Internet, Xbox and Zen, very rarely are young people
seen doing what was considered “fun” a few years ago.
Which is why it was to the surprise of scores of onlookers recently,
when a group of Tunapuna youths pulled up to their favourite watering
hole with a freshly-killed caiman in the tray of their pick-up.
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When asked if they knew if it was illegal to hunt the reptile,
one youth disclosed that he and his father stumbled upon the
creature while tending their garden a few hours earlier.
A swift, calculated cutlass blow to the head then turned a
near-tragedy into dinner plans.
No one seemed to have a clear idea on how to prepare the “croc”
for the pot, so the services of an experienced “iguana
man” were sought.
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The
finished product … curry-stewed caiman
“cutters”.
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The youthman who arrived
barely had tough whiskers on his face, but made quick work of
the swamp creature.
Twenty lemons and two pounds of flour later, the meat was marinated
in a wholesome blend of seasoning, before the chef “put
down a wicked curry-stew” well after midnight.
A word to the hungry, though … too much reptile meat may
be bad for your health, according to a recent study by the US-based
Savannah River Ecology Environmental Outreach Programme.
The effects on high mercury intake by humans include reproductive
failure, damage to intestines, stomach disruption, kidney damage
and DNA alteration.
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