DULAC, LA – A Dulac man is facing multiple charges after Terrebonne Parish deputies say they uncovered an illegal nutria-fighting ring during a raid late Thursday night.
The suspect, identified as Willard “Nutria Tooth” Wonker, 48, originally from Chatham ,MS was taken into custody at a property along Bayou Grand Caillou. Deputies say the operation involved live nutria—large, semi-aquatic rodents common in Louisiana wetlands—forced to fight inside a makeshift arena.
According to Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Armand Dugas, the ring was constructed from crab trap wire, duct tape, and plywood. Around the pit, deputies found folding chairs for spectators, tiki torches, and a hand-painted sign reading “Nutria Thunderdome – Two Enter, One Leaves.”
Investigators also seized what they described as a championship belt sewn together from purple Crown Royal bags, with a gold-painted crawfish trap door serving as the buckle. The belt, authorities believe, was used to crown the season’s winning animal.
Dugas said betting appeared to be conducted in cash and goods, including sacks of crawfish, vienna sausages and cases of beer. Prizes for the winning nutria reportedly included buckets of sweet potatoes.
Wonker was also wanted on unrelated charges of Grobek poaching, a wildlife crime involving the illegal hunting of the grobek—a rare marsh bird known for its long slender legs and loud, distinctive call. Wildlife officials say the grobek is a protected species under Louisiana law and is considered important to the health of the coastal marsh ecosystem.
Neighbors expressed mixed reactions to the arrest. “I would hear the swamp pop music like from Wayne Toups and Don Rich and the people cheering in french some nights, but I never thought it was something like this,” said Alma Lou Boudreaux, who lives nearby. “We’ve seen him with wild animals before, but nothing organized like this.”
Another neighbor, Rufus Theriot, said, “It’s Dulac. You hear strange things on the bayou. But nutria fighting for a Crown Royal championship belt? That’s new to me.”
Wonker was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Jail and is being held without bond. The nutria were turned over to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for relocation. The alleged grobek poaching remains under investigation.
