82
Facing Environmental Charges For Removing
Plants and Animals From Protected Areas
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82 Facing Environmental Charges For Removing
Plants and Animals From Protected Areas
A total of 82 people have been charged by
the Ministerio de Ambiente, Energía y
Telecomunicaciones (Minaet) - environment
ministry - during Semana Santa for removing
plants and animals from Costa Rica's
protected areas. The charged will be facing
criminal charges.
According to Carlos Varela, coordinator of
the Programa de Control y Conservación del
Minaet, taken from conservation areas were
11 mammals, 7 reptiles, 28 birds, 261 fish,
12 shrimp, 50 orchideas, 150 palmitos and
30.000 palm leaves. Varela added that Minaet
officials also confiscated some 2.092 pieces
of wood.
The sanctions faced by the individuals range
from a ¢10.000 colones (+/- us$20) fine to
¢60.000 and a possible jail time of three to
six months and repairing the damage.
Varela said that there is no benefit to
removing the plants and animals. Plants
removed from their natural habitat are
mostly taken to San Jose, where the climatic
conditions are diverse, where the plants and
animals are stressed, and die due to
malnutrition, capture and become a real
problem.
The Minaet had 444 officials and 226
volunteers working over the Semana Santa in
a number of spot checks, that included 83
road blocks, where they stopped a total of
12.297 vehciles.
Varela explained that some of those caught
voluntarily handed over their find. In
total, 2 mammals, 640 birds, 159 palmitos
and 20 fish were returned.
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