Costa Rica Court Orders Power Lines Protected for Wildlife

Costa Rica's Constitutional Court delivered a major win for wildlife by ordering the government to shield animals from deadly power lines within six months.

The case focused on Nosara, a region in northwestern Costa Rica where bare electrical wiring has been electrocuting tree-dwelling animals like howler monkeys and sloths. A coalition of conservation groups partnered with Alta Legal to file the lawsuit, proving the national electricity provider failed to meet legal safety standards.

The numbers tell a heartbreaking story. Howler monkey mothers frequently die on exposed wires, leaving their babies orphaned. When male troop leaders get electrocuted, the next male in line often kills all the previous leader's offspring to secure his position. What starts as one electrocution can quickly devastate entire monkey families.

Veterinarian Francisco Sánchez Murillo says the problem spreads far beyond Nosara. Exposed wires, poorly maintained infrastructure, and inadequate insulation create death traps in rural areas throughout Costa Rica. Rural communities have watched this preventable tragedy unfold for years.

The court didn't just acknowledge the problem. It confirmed bare wiring was being used improperly and gave ICE, the national electricity provider, and the Ministry of Environment and Energy a hard deadline to fix it. Officials who fail to comply face fines or even prison time.

The Ripple Effect

This victory reaches beyond animal welfare. Howler monkeys play a crucial role as seed dispersers, meaning their deaths harm entire ecosystems. When monkeys disappear, the plants and animals depending on them suffer too.

Elena Kukovica from the International Animal Rescue Center sees this ruling as a turning point. While the case centered on Nosara because that's where the documentation existed, it sets a legal precedent for the entire nation.

Conservationists across Costa Rica are already looking at how this decision can help wildlife in their regions. Murillo hopes the ruling "will serve as a platform for other regions facing similar issues."

Costa Rica has long positioned itself as an environmental leader, and now its highest court has reinforced that commitment with action that could save thousands of animals every year.