In a serious incident for Patagonian wildlife, three men will face a million-dollar fine for the hunting of a guanaco within the Nahuel Huapi National Park.
The accused agreed to a suspended trial and will thus avoid criminal records.
The defendants were charged with poaching of wildlife after shooting and butchering the specimen within the protected natural environment.
Each of the three accused committed to paying $2 million as a fine, money that will be donated.
The total fine, set at $6 million, will be paid in three consecutive installments to the Ñacurutú Civil Foundation.
The fate of the convicted hunters
The Ñacurutú Civil Foundation operates as a Rescue Network and care for wildlife in San Martín de los Andes, Junín de los Andes, Villa La Angostura, and surrounding areas.
This organization cooperates with the Aluminé Refuge in the province of Neuquén.
Now, in addition to the fine, the accused must comply with additional conditions set by the magistrate for the hunting of this guanaco.
Among them is a awareness course on illegal wildlife hunting with a focus on zoology.
The Edutin Academy Institute will conduct the course, which will have a duration of six months and final certification.
Additionally, a special voluntary disqualification was established for one year to acquire and use firearms.
The defendants also surrendered their corresponding hunting permits.
Once the annual period is concluded and according to the fulfillment of the agreements, the judge will decide on the possible dismissal and extinction of the criminal action.
How the guanaco hunting was discovered
The crime was committed last October 8 when a retired commissioner of the Neuquén Police reported seeing a truck with several people.
The witness observed that they were butchering guanaco specimens on the spot.
The police officers approached Provincial Route No. 63 and detected three people in the truck.
There, they found recent remains of the animal protected by the National Parks Law No. 22,351.
Compromising elements were seized at the scene:
- Fresh guanaco meat cuts inside backpacks
- Two loins in the vehicle’s bed
- Two shoulders with skin
- Butchering knives
- A spent 223 caliber shell
The firearm was not found during the operation. According to the investigation, a fourth person would have taken it after fleeing before the authorities arrived.
One of the defendants voluntarily appeared last December 2. He handed over the rifle used to hunt the specimen, along with the weapon’s documentation and corresponding credentials.
Now, the accused must pay the first installment of the fine to have the seized truck returned at the scene of the events.
The fulfillment of all conditions will determine the definitive closure of the case.
The wildlife of the Nahuel Huapi National Park is protected by national regulations.
In particular, the guanaco is a species that requires special conservation in Patagonian natural environments.
