QCOSTARICA – Land and marine animals have extra help in Costa Rica, with the existence of Earthrace Conservation, an international organization dedicated to the protection of fauna.
Earthrace y is an ally of the park rangers and coastguards in our country, after signing last year an agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Minae) to provide surveillance in national parks.
They are currently on a 12-month operation in the national territory.
This means the sue of the Modoc ship, a 45-meter long ship that belonged to the United States Navy and with a capacity for 25 people.
The ship is a space to train volunteers, conduct surveillance with drones and scientific research, among other operations.
It can operate in open water even for 30 days without assistance.
The group also contributes a K-9 dog unit to assist in the fight against drug trafficking and the search for people.
The missions it carries out in Costa Rica are in conjunction with the Minae, the National System of Conservation Areas and the Environmental Operational Group.
The organization works with groups of volunteers and does not charge the government for its services, but relies on donations.
In Costa Rica, it carries out important monitoring of Cocos Island and its surveillance system with drones has increased the rate of apprehension of illegal fishermen.
The captain of the Modoc vessel and CEO of Earthrace is New Zealand environmentalist Peter Bethune, known for his fight against illegal fishing and the trade in exotic species, as well as holding the world record for the longest marine voyage made on biodiesel.
At the end of December, Bethune suffered a bite from a Fer-de-Lance or Terciopelo as it is commonly known in the country, and considered the most dangerous snake in Costa Rica.
Bethune was on a “conservation mission” in Punta Encanto, between Golfito and Río Esquinas, Puntarenas when he had his encounter with the pit viper that responsible for more than half of all venomous bites in the country.
