As part of the actions of the staff of the protected area, a operation against poaching was carried out resulting in the preparation of reports and the seizure of pieces.
During the control and surveillance patrols carried out by the staff of El Palmar National Park, located in the province of Entre Ríos, the park rangers spotted an unauthorized motorboat with two people on board carrying weapons, which raised concerns about the possible presence of poachers.
In response, a operation against poaching was organized in the “El Palmar” stream area and a land operation with the Coast Guard, where the presence of hunted animals was confirmed, including four axis deer and four capybaras, some of which were skinned.
The Colón Fiscal Unit in Entre Ríos was immediately notified, which ordered the preparation of the corresponding infringement reports and the seizure of the pieces, in accordance with the provisions of the Wildlife Conservation Law (No. 22,421). Due to the quantity of prey found, it is suspected that they were intended for illegal meat trafficking.
It is worth mentioning that the penalties for these types of crimes are provided for in articles 25 and 26 of the Wildlife Conservation Law and range from two months to two years in prison, with a special disqualification of five years. The penalty for poaching is increased to between four months and three years in prison, with a special disqualification of ten years, when hunting is carried out in an organized manner, with the participation of three or more people, or using weapons, tools, or means prohibited by the competent authority. A significant economic fine is also imposed, calculated based on the environmental damage.
In addition, these actions represent a danger for the staff of the protected area and tourists in the area, due to the unauthorized use of firearms without safety measures.
El Palmar National Park works, as in all protected areas, against poaching, hosting one of the most important displays of yatay palm trees and being home to species such as capybaras, foxes, pampas cats, brown brocket deer, maned wolves, herons, ibises, and tegus. Therefore, the regular implementation of monitoring, control, and surveillance actions is crucial to protect the values of the protected area.
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