Ruben Stoll Charged, Fined BZ$1,000 Over Jaguar Cub Incident

Belizean-American Ruben Stoll has been charged under the Wildlife Protection Act and fined BZ$1,000 for unlawfully handling a wild jaguar cub in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.

According to the Belize Forest Department, Stoll voluntarily returned to Belize and surrendered to authorities following the incident. He was subsequently charged and paid the BZ$1,000 fine.

The charge follows a viral social media video showing Stoll petting a jaguar cub after it was reportedly separated from its mother by a vehicle. The footage sparked widespread criticism and prompted an investigation by the Forest Department.

Before the charge was laid, Forest Officer Victoria Chi told News Five that authorities believed Stoll had left Belize through the northern border before they could locate him. Officials had prepared charges and planned to issue a warrant so he could be detained upon his return to the country.

A friend who was with the group, Leslie Penner, said touching the cub was “unnecessary” and “reckless,” but insisted there was no malicious intent. He said the Stoll brothers have a long history of supporting conservation efforts in Belize.

Belize Zoo Managing Director Dr. Celso Poot also criticized the handling of the cub, warning that while the mother was unlikely to abandon it, the encounter could have caused unnecessary stress. He said wild jaguar cubs should never be handled by humans.