Officials arrest five suspected of illegal hunting of protected wild animals

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Rangers of the Ministry of Environment, this weekend arrested two Costa Rican men surnamed Chávez-Calderón and Umaña-Carmona, suspected of hunting wild animals inside the Palo Verde National Park* in the province of Guanacaste.

According to the park rangers report, the two men live in the Bagaces area of Guanacaste. They were arrested while they carried a collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) inside a bag. Apparently, they hunted the animal.

The collared peccary is a species of mammal in the family Tayassuidae tajacy, found in North, Central, and South America. They are commonly referred to as javelina, saíno, or báquiro, although these terms are also used to describe other species in the family.

The rangers also seized a 20-caliber shotgun-type firearm.

The two men were taken to the cells of the Flagrant Prosecutor's Office in Liberia in Guanacaste, where a judge will order the pre-trial measures against them.

The Flagrant Prosecutor's Office is involved when a suspect is arrested while committing a crime.

Flagrante delicto or sometimes merely flagrante is a legal term used to indicate that a criminal has been caught in the act of committing an offense. The colloquial "caught red-handed" is an English equivalent.

The third suspect was arrested by the Coast Guard station of Pacuare* in Siquirres, in the province of Limon.

According to the police report, at the time of the arrest, the suspect a Costa Rican surnamed Jarquin was harboring a green turtle to extract eggs and meat.

During a patrol along the northern part of the mouth of the Pacuare River*, near the so-called milestone 57, the suspect was found with 40 kilos of turtle meat and 140 turtle eggs among his belongings.

According to Coast Guard, "the turtle had come to spawn, but it was hunted about 20 meters from the beach, where the suspect was accused of butchering in the middle of the vegetation."

The eggs were seized and delivered to the Latin American Sea Turtles environmental organization, hopefully, to be raised in a nursery.

The suspect was taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where he was interrogated by the judicial agents, after that, he must wait until a judge orders the pre-trial measures against him.

The fourth suspect arrested was a Nicaraguan woman surnamed Rivas.

According to the police report, during a highway control operation on the North Interamerican Highway, at the La Cruz, officials stopped a bus coming from Peñas Blancas*, near the border with Nicaragua.

In a routine review of passenger baggage, "the police found 70 small turtles inside a plastic bag, a woman was carrying," said the police in its statement.

The officer detained the woman and took her to the Flagrante Prosecutor's Office in Liberia, where she was interrogated by the judicial agents, where she must wait until a judge orders pre-trial measures against her.

In Costa Rica, the Wild Animal Protection Act prohibits the hunting of leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).

-----------------------------
Have you heard of the smuggling of turtle meat or eggs in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

	Visit the Largest Gallery in Costa Rica Featuring artistic expressions of Costa Rican culture, heritage and traditions, the Hidden Garden Art Gallery has been your source for fine art since 2010. Fifteen rooms of art in a beautiful, tranquil setting, with more than 65 artists showcasing traditional and contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography and giclée prints. Located just 5 kms west of the Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) towards the beaches. Stop in for a visit and enjoy the view! Visit our Web site at: www.HiddenGardenArt.com Contact us by email: info@HiddenGardenArt.com	Find us on Trip Advisor, Facebook, Twitter, Moon Travel Guides & Frommer's  Gallery hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. C.R. phone: 8386-6872 / 2667-0592 U.S. phone: 702-953-7073  Code:9371-080618
Household Furnishings (paid category)
	Fine Furniture of Sarchi All our handcrafted products are made in Sarchi with pride and quality by artisans who are dedicated to designing, crafting, and delivering our furniture to you. Please visit our website and send us a picture and specifications of what YOU like, or just send us pictures from anywhere you wish. We will quote you right back with a more than competitive price and an on-time delivery date. Delivery and set up available throughout Costa Rica. We have different Costa Rican woods from which you may choose.	Take a look www.FineFurnitureOfSarchi.com Contact information: Adolfo's Cell: +506-8831-4306 E-mail: Info@FineFurnitureOfSarchi.com or FineFurnitureOfSarchi@gmail.com Code:072019
Shipping services (paid category)
	Shipping Costa Rica Moving to Costa Rica or Back to the U.S.? » 10 Years of Happy Clients » Canadian English or Spanish Spoken » Excellent Service, Competitive Prices	Call (772) 361-1050 Email: shippingcostarica@gmail.com Our Web: http://shippingcostarica.com Free Ebook: How To Import to Costa Rica HERE! Code:072019