Government environment prosecutors and law enforcement agents seized more than 20 reptiles and exotic birds kept at a tourist attraction in San Cristóbal. The critters were held captive without the corresponding permits. A crocodile, five flamencos, 13 snapping turtles and a tortoise were seized and sent to the National Zoo. Experts from the Zoo participated in the operation.
The owner of the property, Jose Mesa Araujo, was ordered to appear before the San Cristóbal Specialized Prosecutor Office for Environment in San Cristóbal.
The day after this news was in the press, the International Union for Natural Conservation (UICN), together with the Ministry of the Environment released the “Red List” of those species in danger of extinction. The Ministry’s Resolution 0017-2019 contains a long list of both sea creatures such as crocodiles, starfish, sea cucumbers many varieties of fish, and land creatures, including tarantulas, all snake species on the island, frogs and toads, tortoises, turtles and snapping turtles, almost every bird in the sky and all of the mammals on the island.
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5 August 2019