On Friday, June 13th, 2025, a national campaign backed by leading charity International Animal Rescue (IAR) in Costa Rica is calling for urgent government action to combat the increasing electrocution of wild animals, many of which are already under threat due to habitat loss.
Conservationists have reported a rise in the number of electrocuted animals in Costa Rica, with incidents occurring every few days. This issue has been exacerbated by unregulated development and a lack of insulated power lines. Despite the government introducing Executive Decree No. 44329 in early 2024, a legal framework aimed at addressing the problem, its implementation has been minimal.
Director of IAR Costa Rica, Gabriela Campos, stated that in the town of Nosara alone, nearly 100 electrocuted animals were reported in one year. She emphasized that this is not an isolated issue, but rather a national emergency for biodiversity. The organization is urging the public to sign their petition and help push the government and utility companies into taking action.
The victims of these electrocutions, which are often fatal, include iconic species such as howler monkeys, sloths, and anteaters. These animals are crucial to Costa Rica’s wildlife tourism industry and play a vital role in the country’s ecosystems. However, due to fragmented forests and urbanization, they often have to use power lines as bridges to cross roads or travel through cleared land, where their usual routes through the tree canopy have been disrupted.
According to Gavin Bruce, CEO of International Animal Rescue, this is not just a local issue, but a global conservation crisis. As a UK charity working internationally, IAR is calling on the Costa Rican government and energy providers to take this threat seriously and honor their commitments. Bruce stated that allowing animals to burn to death or suffer from severe injuries on uninsulated power lines goes against Costa Rica’s image as a green nation that promotes nature and “Pura Vida.” He urged for urgent, meaningful action to be taken, as promised in the Decree introduced last year, and for the government to prioritize its implementation.
The Jaguar Rescue Centre in the Caribbean region reported receiving 53 electrocuted animals in 2024, with a survival rate of only 10%. The victims suffer external and internal burns, often requiring amputations or long-term sanctuary care. Dr. Francisco Sánchez, IAR’s veterinary director in Costa Rica, described the injuries as “catastrophic and deeply painful,” and noted that many animals require daily treatment, months of rehabilitation, and specialized care. In some cases, the only humane option is euthanasia.
The impact of these electrocutions goes beyond the individual animals. For instance, in Howler Monkey Troops, the death of a dominant male can lead to infanticide by rival males, resulting in even more indirect fatalities.
The root causes of wildlife electrocution in Costa Rica include rapid, unregulated development that fragments habitats, poorly maintained or outdated power infrastructure, and a lack of Environmental Impact Assessments to prevent uninsulated electrical apparatus from being installed in fragile ecosystems. Additionally, the mitigation of electrocution hotspots is inconsistent and often treated as an afterthought, and there is ineffective enforcement of existing environmental laws.
In early 2024, Executive Decree No. 44329 was signed into law, aiming to mandate all public and private stakeholders in the power sector to prevent and mitigate wildlife electrocutions. This includes coordinated action from multiple agencies, such as MINAE, SINAC, ICE, CNFL, and local municipalities. However, over a year later, very little has been done to implement this decree.
The charity has launched a campaign, “This Is NOT Pura Vida,” and is collecting digital signatures worldwide to demand full implementation of Decree 44329. They are calling on everyone to take action and sign the petition, which can be found at https://www.estonoespuravida.org/english. Thousands of signatures are needed to hold the Costa Rican authorities accountable and push for real change. The organization urges people to help save Costa Rica’s wildlife by taking just one minute to sign the petition.
