Illegal entry into protected areas is a problem that environmental authorities have not been able to curb. At the end and beginning of the year, 507 people have been found entering National Parks through unofficial sites. Although the figure is down from last year, when 605 people were reported entering through illegal zones, the numbers are still high.
“The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) has urged citizens to take care of their lives and to protect their physical integrity by avoiding illegal access to Protected Wildlife Areas,” the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) pointed out. Volcanoes such as Poás, Turrialba, Rincón de la Vieja, and Arenal are the areas where most of the cases are reported. They attract millions of tourists each year and pose greater dangers for those who choose to ignore the rules.
Some of these volcanoes are active, which means visitors can be exposed to fumaroles, phreatic eruptions of moderate intensity, inhalation of toxic gases, hypothermia, ash fall, acid rain, ballistic impacts, and mudflows, causing potential health and life risks.
“In light of illegal entries into protected wildlife areas through clandestine or illegal trails, SINAC calls on the population to refrain from these bad practices, not only because of the civil and criminal penalties they may face but also due to the risk they expose their lives to because of the lack of trails with suitable conditions to evacuate a person in the event of an accident due to the absence of basic services,” said Jorge Mario Rodríguez, Vice Minister of Environment.
They also point out that there is an environmental impact, as there is an established number of visitors that can access these areas. Likewise, there are trails and demarcated zones for people to pass through, since in other regions there are very fragile ecosystems that may suffer irreparable losses due to human action.
SINAC periodically carries out control and protection operations in different areas that present this problem and is also working on a bill that would impose jail time and economic fines for entering areas not permitted within National Parks and Protected Areas. The established access rules are intended to ensure the safety of all visitors and to preserve nature. Therefore, SINAC asks people not to take tours that include access to illegal areas and to denounce these practices.
“You can also report persons and/or companies offering illegal tours within Protected Areas by calling 1192 or through SITADA’s web page” they added.
