An Italian father and his son were fined $200,000 for attempting to smuggle endemic insects, including 92 species of butterflies, out of a safari park in Sri Lanka. The duo was arrested at Yala National Park in May after being found with jars containing the insects. Investigations revealed that they had used animal attractants to lure the insects and planned on preserving them with wax sachets. The men were convicted of illegal collection, possession, and transportation of the insects in early September and were given the highest-ever fine for wildlife crime in the country.
Park rangers discovered the insects in the men’s car trunk and noted that all the animals were dead due to a chemical that had been placed in the bottles. The men face two years in jail if they do not pay the fine by September 24. The incident has sparked pleas for leniency from the men’s friends and colleagues in Italy, who claim the butterflies held no commercial value. The hefty fine serves as a warning to criminals and sets a precedent for future wildlife crime cases in Sri Lanka.
[ad_2]
Source link
