Costa Rica is celebrating a landmark in its commitment to environmental conservation, having recently set the stage to become the first country in Latin America to ban hunting as a sport. On Dec. 10, the country’s Legislative Assembly unanimously approved an amendment to the 1992 Wildlife Conservation Law that will make it a crime to hunt and trap wild animals anywhere in the country. The amendment, expected to be signed into law next month by President Laura Chinchilla, prescribes penalties for violators of up to $3,000 in fines and four months in prison. Exceptions remain, however, in cases of hunting for scientific purposes, culling overpopulated species or subsistence by members of indigenous communities. “I believe we leave to future generations this message: that an activity... [Log in to read more]