A screenshot from a December 2022 video posted to YouTube by OSY Rentals, based in Major, Sask. The video showed employees unboxing the taxidermized animals in a trailer, saying someone at the company went on a 'shopping spree' and bought the wildlife at an auction in Texas. It was taken down from the company 's channel Wednesday morning.
The company transported and possessed various taxidermy mounts including a hippopotamus, a giraffe, a mountain lion, two baboons and other species protected under the act, Environment Canada said.An episode titled "Monkey Business," posted in December 2022, showed employees unboxing taxidermized animals in a trailer, saying someone at the company went on a "shopping spree" and bought the wildlife at an auction in Texas.
"There were some videos showing other shipments and mounts, and that's when we started looking at what other items came from there," he said in an interview. Various taxidermy mounts, including a hippopotamus, a giraffe, a mountain lion, a baboon and others were seized by Environment Canada, the agency said.
"We did the initial investigation and we did end up doing a search warrant at OSY Rentals, where we found those additional mounts."