No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCrocodiliansPolice remove 660-pound crocodile from beach near Jacó

Police remove 660-pound crocodile from beach near Jacó

It wasn’t only sunburnt tourists basking in the sunny Pacific beaches last weekend.

According to the Public Security Ministry, police in the central Pacific beach town of Jacó had been receiving reports of a large crocodile lurking in the area, but despite several attempts to catch it, the croc eluded police until Monday afternoon.

A local lifeguard spotted the sleeping 660-pound reptile on Playa Claritas, south of Jacó, and asked police to help him relocate it to a less-populated area. Environment Ministry wildlife handlers and cops finally manged to captured the crocodile, tying it to a stretcher.

The crocodile is now in Carara National Park pending transport to the northwestern province of Guanacaste, where it will be released in an unpopulated area.

According to reports from several tourism agencies, crocodiles are appearing more frequently in tourist areas on the Pacific coast. Environmental groups say part of the cause is habitat destruction and human encroachment.

Read more about the challenges crocodile conservationists face here: Costa Rica’s crocodile conundrum

(Courtesy of the Public Security Ministry)
(Courtesy of the Public Security Ministry)
(Courtesy of the Public Security Ministry)
(Courtesy of the Public Security Ministry)

Trending Now

Low Dollar Exchange Rate Threatens Costa Rican Industry

Ten of Costa Rica’s leading business chambers have sent a joint letter to the Central Bank calling for an immediate adjustment to the country's...

Costa Rica Faces Economic Blow as Intel, Pfizer, and Qorvo Announce Restructuring

Intel announced that it will shut down its chip assembly and test plant in Costa Rica, part of a broader global restructuring aimed at...

A Closer Look at the Elusive Purple Gallinule in Costa Rica

Quick! Think of a purple bird! It’s a little difficult, right? I searched my brain and came up with a purple martin. A small...

Chiquita Executives Convicted in Colombia for Financing Death Squads

Colombian justice on Wednesday sentenced seven former executives of the multinational banana company Chiquita Brands to more than 11 years in prison and a...

Costa Rica Court Sanctions Road Official Over Delayed Wildlife Crossings

Costa Rica’s wildlife faces perils, as authorities have continously failed to build wildlife crossings. Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court has taken a firm stance in...

Panama Farmer Receives Land Title After 60-Year Wait at Age 109

A 109-year-old Panamanian farmer has received the land title for the property where he lives and works—six decades after first requesting it from the...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica