End Wildlife Electrocutions in Costa Rica

Here is a recent article published concerning the frequent electrocution of arboreal animals in Costa Rica...

Every day, monkeys, kinkajous, sloths and other arboreal
wildlife are brutally electrocuted on Costa Rica’s electrical
transmission system. Based on the hundreds of electro-
cuted animals reported to local wildlife rescue groups in
2008/2009, projected annual electrocution estimates in the
thousands are reasonable. Escalating real estate develop-
ment and the expansion of the electrical grid have intensi-
fied the problem.
These deaths and injuries are preventable: when power
lines and transformer wires are shielded, animals are not
harmed. Some shielded hardware has been installed in
parts of the country, but the higher costs of this safe tech-
nology are considered by the power industry to be unaf-
fordable, so it is not integrated into the industry’s current
business model.
Other methods to prevent electrocutions have been tried:
monkey bridges, branch- and vine-cutting operations, and
wider power line spacing. Although these methods can
reduce the number of electrocutions, none is an effective,
long-term solution.
Costa Rica lost half of its monkey population in the 12-year
period between 1995 and 2007. Change in power industry
policy and actual practice in the field is needed now. Work-
ing together, public and private institutions can solve the
electrocution problem by calling for and contributing to the
development of a comprehensive, strategic solution. Creative
approaches to the cost issues, including new product sourc-
ing and technology design, are critical. If shielded or buried
power lines became a best practice - the default practice for
the power industry - the suffering and death of arboreal wild-
life on Costa Rica’s electrical transmission system would end.

To respond to this call to action, email:
noelectrocutions@gmail.com