Two individuals from Costa Rica now face charges after trying to export infant specimens of two endemic, threatened species from Colombia to the Dominican Republic. The man and woman now face charges of animal cruelty, wildlife trafficking, and illicit use of natural resources.
Colombian environmental and drug trafficking officials caught on in time and the foreign traffickers were apprehended during the operation at the Medellin international airport, Jose Maria Cordova International Airport.
The six infant primates, belonging to species critically endangered, were found sedated and concealed in the groin areas of the two Costa Ricans. According to the Regional Autonomous Corporation of the Black and Nare River Basins (Cornare), two of the animals died due to the extreme conditions they endured, while the other four were taken in critical condition to the Wildlife Care and Evaluation Center (CAV) of the same entity.
The rescued primates include two white-faced capuchins (Cebus sp.) and four red-bellied titis (Oedipomidas oedipus), both endemic to Colombia and classified as critically endangered species. The approximately two-month-old animals exhibited signs of severe dehydration, malnutrition, skin lesions, and high stress levels. Traffickers had placed the primates in cloth bags hidden inside their underwear to evade airport security checks.
The operation that led to the animals’ rescue was carried out by the Environmental Police, the Anti-Narcotics Unit, and airport personnel, who detected the situation and alerted environmental authorities. The swift intervention allowed for the transfer of the surviving primates to Cornare’s CAV, where they currently receive specialized medical attention aimed at stabilizing and rehabilitating them.
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Infobae
N Digital
6 May 2025