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The new regulations contained in the Wildlife Conservation Law, signed this Thursday, August 3 by Costa Rica’s President Luis Guillermo Solís and the Minister of Environment Edgar Gutierrez, change some of the aspects regarding wildlife management using scientific and technical criteria taking as a base foreign institutions with vast experience in this topic.
The Wildlife Conservation Law now defines zoos as places dedicated to the environmental education through the exhibition of animals; while rescue centers are defined as non-profit entities that must be closed to the public to avoid human contact and care for injured, rescued and seized animals with the goal of liberating them back to their natural habitat.
“Society has changed and people no longer accept that zoos continue to work as they did 30 years back. People demand better conditions for the animals and this has now translated to the legal aspect”, commented Natalia Batista, adviser to the Environment Vice-Minister.
These changes in the regulation will affect some rescue centers in the country that are currently working as such but exhibit their animals and receive visiting public; these centers must now register as zoos or change the way they are currently operating.
The new regulations require the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) to establish a budget to buy necessary equipment for the adequate handling of wildlife, food for the animals in their custody, emergency veterinary attention, training, gas and traveling expenses for inspections and transfers; and adequate protocols to act in situations where there is interaction between humans and wild animals.
Zoos and rescue centers must have an area dedicated exclusively to prepare the food for the animals; a clinic area and a quarantine zone.
Animals that are good candidates for liberation must be submitted to sanitary evaluation including lab tests and physical tests, to rule out the presence of pathogenic conditions that presume a risk to the existing animal population.
Zoos will receive animals that due to their specific conditions cannot be returned to their habitat; zoos can legally acquire animals for their exhibit as long as they are able to demonstrate their origin and get the necessary permits. Zoos that are cataloged as animal sanctuaries, on the other hand, are not authorized to buy, sell or exchange wildlife animals. In general zoos are not allowed to reproduce animals, and must have a contraception plan for fauna in captivity.
The reproduction of animals at risk of extinction has to be authorized and will be done exclusively by approved non-profit wildlife breeding facilities.
Animals must be properly identified, and have a medical file both digital and physical.
Changes will be done gradually and permits, licenses and authorizations will remain valid until their due date.
