Costa Rica News – Is there such thing as bootlegging iguanas in Costa Rica? It seems so.
Law enforcement removed 79 iguanas from a San Jose hotel. Another 2 were found dead. The owner disappeared once police were seen on the premises of the Delta Hotel, located in La Merced.
The police originally arrived in response to a call about a cell phone being robbed. They found a box in a hallway with the animals inside. The animals are sold in pet stores for around $40 each, meaning the total amount seized was valued at over $3,000.
They gave the living ones water and lettuce and their behavior changed at once, out of the lethargic state they were in. The Ministry of Environment and Energy will care for the green iguanas and move them to a place suitable for growth.
An investigation is underway to find out how they got to the hotel. They were found to be about 2 months old and from 2-3 separate nests.
They are a highly sought after species for their skin and meat, although they are listed as a protected species.
