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Biologist Neel Zaver shares three projects in Costa Rica that offer hope in a time of crisis
2 October 2024
Wildlife electrocutions are a growing and devastating issue in Costa Rica, with local wildlife rescue and conservation groups reporting that many animals are killed or severely injured every few days.
The problem has worsened due to rapid development and a lack of insulated power lines.
Recently a horrifying triple electrocution of howler monkeys, including a mother and her infant, sent shockwaves through Costa Rica’s conservation community.
The incident, which occurred on 25 June 2025 in Nosara (on the Pacific West Coast), is the latest in a series of preventable tragedies during June, which has seen at least 20 electrocutions in the month caused by uninsulated power lines and transformers.
International Animal Rescue’s Wildlife Rescue Team arrived to find two howler monkeys, an adult female and a juvenile, already dead, electrocuted on a high-voltage transformer.
A third victim, an infant still clinging to the charred body of its mother, was miraculously alive.
The surviving infant, now named Tres, is under intensive care in the clinic at the International Animal Rescue (IAR) Wildlife Rescue Centre and remains in a delicate but stable condition.
This heartbreaking case comes at the end of a devastating month, where 16 monkeys were killed or injured due to electrocution at different locations in and around the Nosara area.
This underscores a devastating pattern in one of the country’s key biodiversity hotspots.
The protection of nature is enshrined in Costa Rica’s Constitution and Laws; despite the government introducing an Executive Decree (No. 44329) in early 2024, a legal framework intended to tackle the problem, its implementation has been almost non-existent.
International Animal Rescue has teamed up with other like-minded groups and wildlife rescue centres in Costa Rica to create the ‘This Is NOT Pura Vida’ campaign.
The aim is to raise awareness and pressure the government into taking immediate and effective action to prevent the widespread electrocution of wild animals, and to implement the terms of the Decree.
‘Pura Vida’ is a national slogan in Costa Rica, which translates to ‘Pure Life’. It encapsulates the spirit and culture of the people and their connection with nature.
This widespread death and suffering of wildlife is completely at odds with this belief – it is not Pura Vida.
‘In Nosara alone, nearly 100 electrocuted animals were reported in a single year. These aren’t isolated incidents – they represent a national emergency for biodiversity.
‘We’re asking the public to sign our petition and help push the government and utility companies into action.’
GABRIELA CAMPOS
Director of IAR Costa Rica
The victims of these electrocutions, the majority fatal, include howler monkeys, sloths and anteaters.
These iconic species are important to Costa Rica’s eco-tourism industry and are crucial to its ecosystems.
Due to fragmented forests and urban sprawl, these animals are often forced to use power lines as bridges to cross roads or to travel across land cleared for development, where arboreal routes through the tree canopy have been broken.
‘Costa Rica is a beautiful country that attracts thousands of visitors every year who go to enjoy nature. Considering the country’s green brand, it is quite shocking that so little action has been taken to prevent this wildlife electrocution issue.
‘We are calling on Costa Rica’s government and energy providers to honour their commitments and take this threat seriously. The suffering these animals endure is unimaginable and entirely preventable.
‘We need urgent, meaningful action from the government, as was laid out in their Decree last year. All the regulatory mechanisms already exist to tackle this issue; quite simply, they need to prioritise implementation and enforcement. Enough talk and empty promises – it is time for action.’
GAVIN BRUCE
CEO of International Animal Rescue
The statistics are shocking and brutal. This is a nationwide issue; the government’s own figures state that there are 6,000 electrocutions per year, which is almost certainly an underestimate.
According to the Jaguar Rescue Centre in the Caribbean region, 53 electrocuted animals were received in 2024.
The survival rate for victims is very low; approximately 90% die, often after suffering severe trauma.
Electrocution causes both external and internal burns, with many animals requiring amputations or long-term sanctuary care if they survive at all.
The impact goes beyond the individual; as in howler monkey troops, the death of a dominant male can result in infanticide by rival males, leading to even more indirect fatalities.
‘For the few animals that survive, daily treatment, months of rehabilitation, and specialised care are often required. For many, due to the severity of the internal and external trauma, euthanasia is the most humane option.’
DR FRANCISCO SÁNCHEZ
IAR’s veterinary director in Costa Rica
Wildlife electrocution in Costa Rica is being driven by several factors.
Rapid, unregulated development is fragmenting habitats and the country has a poorly maintained or outdated power infrastructure.
No Environmental Impact Assessments are carried out to prevent uninsulated electrical apparatus from being installed in fragile ecosystems.
The mitigation of electrocution hotspots is inconsistent and treated as an afterthought, and there is ineffective enforcement of existing environmental laws.
Signed into law in early 2024, Executive Decree No. 44329 was supposed to be a game-changer, mandating all public and private stakeholders in the power sector to prevent and mitigate wildlife electrocutions.
It requires coordinated action from multiple agencies, including MINAE, SINAC, ICE, CNFL and local municipalities.
Yet over a year later, almost nothing has been done.
IAR and the other groups involved with the campaign are asking everyone to take a minute and ‘Take Action: Sign the Petition’.
The campaign ‘This Is NOT Pura Vida’ is collecting digital signatures worldwide, demanding the full implementation of Decree 44329.
Thousands of signatures are needed to hold the Costa Rican authorities accountable and push for real change. Help save Costa Rica’s wildlife – it takes just one minute.
Supporters can sign the petition here.
Biologist Neel Zaver shares three projects in Costa Rica that offer hope in a time of crisis
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