Agents of the Civil Guard belonging to the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) have conducted proceedings in which they investigate a person, a resident of the municipality of Güímar, as the alleged perpetrator of a crime against flora and fauna for the acquisition or possession of wild specimens with some kind of undocumented protection.
The events were detected during a coordinated service with the El Pardo Cynological Unit, displaced from Madrid in the framework of the search and location of poisoned baits and illegal phytosanitary products, as well as the death of birds on power lines.
At that moment, they observed a warehouse in the municipality of Güimar, inside which they saw medium-sized cages and heard sounds of animals that could belong to protected species, such as Psittacoidea (parrots).
After taking the appropriate steps, they were able to locate, identify and meet with the owner of the specimens, as well as inspect the place, thus finding a blue and yellow macaw and a Solomon Islands cockatoo (Cacatua ducorpsii).
These are two species included in Appendix B of Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2280, which modifies Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97, on the protection of wild fauna and flora, which did not have of any kind of documentation and were missing the essential elements of identification.
Likewise, during the course of the action, the Civil Guard agents found out that the person investigated had another group of animals in the same town. Displaced to the place, they found a zoological nucleus that had an infinity of animals among which was a crowned crane (Balearica regularun), also included in appendix B like the previous ones.
In addition, five specimens of undocumented American tortoises (four trachemuys scripta elegans and one trachemys sripta scripta) have also been found, and these animals are included in the taxon of invasive alien species, so their possession must be documented and authorized.
In accordance with the aforementioned facts, the agents requested the collaboration of the Neotrópico Foundation which, after appearing in person, identified without any doubt the animals that were affected by protection or included in lists of prior authorization and before the state of the animals. themselves and the lack of documentation were intervened, leaving at the disposal of the aforementioned institution:
In addition, the Seprona agents, during the aforementioned inspections, also observed various infractions in accordance with the provisions of the following regulations: Biodiversity and Natural Environment Law; Companion Animal Legislation; and Legislation of zoological centers.
Article 334 of the current Penal Code establishes that “it will be punished with imprisonment from six months to two years or a fine from eight to twenty-four months and, in any case, special disqualification for the exercise of the right to hunt or fish for a period of time. from two to four years who, contravening the laws or other provisions of a general nature:
a) hunt, fish, acquire, possess or destroy protected species of wild fauna”.
