Costa Rica in Central America has blood on its wires

Editorial Staff / 55 seconds
June 19, 2025
0
3 min read

Sloth hanging on a tree branch in the jungle.

In Costa Rica, a country globally celebrated for its lush biodiversity and eco-tourism, a darker reality lurks in the canopy: the quiet, gruesome deaths of thousands of wild animals by electrocution. Sloths, howler monkeys, anteaters—icons of the rainforest and the tourism industry alike—are being burned alive on uninsulated power lines.

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Sloths in costarica, booking an all inclusive holiday in Costa Rica? look out for sloths.

Booking an all inclusive holiday in Costa Rica? look out for sloths falling from power lines

Shocking deaths of howler monkeys and sloths in nature paradise

A new national campaign, bluntly titled “This Is NOT Pura Vida,” is now challenging Costa Rica’s green image and demanding that the government fulfill promises made to protect its wildlife. Launched by International Animal Rescue (IAR) Costa Rica, the campaign is urging the immediate implementation of Executive Decree No. 44329—a legal framework passed in early 2024 but largely ignored since.

“In Nosara alone, nearly 100 animals were electrocuted in just one year,” said Gabriela Campos, Director of IAR Costa Rica. “These aren’t rare accidents—they’re evidence of a national crisis in conservation.”

Many of Costa Rica’s arboreal animals, such as sloths and monkeys, use tree canopies to move through the forest. But as development fragments their habitats, they are increasingly forced to use power lines to bridge gaps—lines that are often uninsulated and deadly. The consequences are horrific.

According to the Jaguar Rescue Center, 53 electrocuted animals were brought in during the first part of 2024. Most of them died. Survivors often suffer internal burns, open wounds, and, in the best cases, require amputations or lifelong sanctuary care.

“The injuries are catastrophic and deeply painful,” said Dr. Francisco Sánchez, IAR’s veterinary director. “For many, euthanasia is the only humane option.”

Electrocution is not just an individual tragedy—it’s a blow to entire species. In howler monkey troops, for example, the death of a dominant male can lead to the infanticide of all his offspring by incoming rivals, compounding the toll. Costa Rica has long branded itself as a model of sustainability. But conservationists say this crisis contradicts its international reputation.

Turtle nesting sites over-run by curious tourists

“Allowing animals to burn to death on outdated, unsafe power lines is the opposite of ‘Pura Vida,’” said Gavin Bruce, CEO of IAR. “The government has the tools. What’s missing is political will.”

The campaign po

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