Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

:eek:Brace yourselves girls, fishing is next.
Costa Rica is set to be the first country in the American continent to ban recreational hunting after the country's legislature approved the popular measure by a wide margin.

The bill, which bans hunting for sport but still allows culling and subsistence hunting, was approved late Tuesday by a 41-5 vote. Congress will revisit the issue on Thursday, but the second round is seen as just a formality.

President Laura Chinchilla, who supports the measure, is expected to sign it into law in the next days.

The ban, which does not affect fishing for sport, does allow researchers to hunt for scientific purposes.

Hunters violating the ban would have to pay a fine of up to $3,000.

Costa Rica supports an enormous variety of fauna, and is one of the countries with the highest density of biodiversity in the world.

Wildlife in Costa Rica include jaguars, armadillos, deer, sloths and several species of monkeys, as well as a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Some two million people visit Costa Rica each year -- a $2 billion business -- and the country's natural reserves and variety of species are a great attraction.
:eek::mad:

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

So? Their country. Why should I care what they choose to do there?

Lots of hunting is banned in lots of places. Can't hunt bald eagles (or most birds, for that matter) in the US.

Hunting for food is still OK. Just not hunting for sport. I am missing the issue.

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

I don't know the culture there so I can't comment much on this. I agree it is their country and if that's what they want so be it.

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

I am curious -
Who the HECK would go to a banana republic to hunt quail or deer?
We have both all over our country, and you don't have to go through a country controlled by drug cartells to get to them!

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

costa rica is for sail fishing anyway. took a jungle tour when i was there. guards with automatic weapons at the toll booths on the way there.

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

I must have misunderstood something here. banning hunting for sport? What exactly does that mean?

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

Trophy hunts. They're shutting down hunting tourism.

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

OK

Well they dont need the money anyway.

What i dont get about these hunting requlations is this. Wildlife and fisheries will come out and tell you this % of animals must be taken to keep the herd healthy. Why does anyone care what the means and methods used are for this? When you reach the % close it for the rest of the year.

So now rich guys and gals will scratch off costa rica from their list of places to go shoot a trophy. Who gets hurt? The trophy animal is still gona get killed.

These hunter buy everything from rum to guides when they are in town, rent cars, hotels ect. Not anymore.

Re: Costa Rica set to ban hunting
 

After further reading, I'm seeing this in a different light. They're banning most hunting in order to protect their tourism industry.

Their cool animals are endangered--and frequently poached--so they're trying to make sure those animals survive in order to still draw tourists.