'Apache Indian' Welshman faces court action over wild animal haul

A Welshman who lives as an Apache Indian is being prosecuted after being found with illegal badger paws and eagle wings in his home. Mangas Colaradas, 60, claimed the wild animal relics were part of a Native American culture he has been a part of for the past 20 years despite being born and raised in Swansea. But the father-of-six was arrested after the body parts of the wild animals were found in his home that was filled with his Apache collection. Mr Colaradas wore ceremonial head-dress when he appeared in court on Thursday charged under the Protection of Badgers Act and the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

But Mr Colaradas, named after a 19th century Apache chief, pleaded not guilty and vowed to fight the case on the grounds that it is part of his Apache lifestyle. Appearing at Swansea magistrates court, he wore a ceremonial head dress, tassled jacket, suede moccasins and a snake's head necklace. Anne Griffiths, defending, told the court: "My client Mangas is part of a Native American Apache tribe. He has spent time living in these Apache communities and this is his belief."



Outside court, he told of his Apache lifestyle in his three-bedroom detached house in the Townhill suburb of Swansea. "I dress like this all the time I'm not just some weekend Indian. I don't put it on to show off, I put it on because I want to wear it," he said. "I'm against modern life, nobody cares about anybody else, nobody cares about mother earth. The whole point of the Native American lifestyle is that everyone believes in mother earth and treats others who you want to be treated."

Mr Colaradas now makes his own tomahawks, bows and arrows as well as running snake shows. He continued: "I've cured thousands of people of their fear of snakes, I don't believe in money, I just do it to educate people. I get on with animals better than most people I've got an affinity with them there are no bad animals just bad keepers. I've owned hundreds of snakes in my time, I eat them when they die, we Natives don't believe in letting anything go to waste." Mr Colaradas was released on bail and is due to stand trial in August.