Overview
- The Environment Ministry, which approved the protocol on Monday, plans to begin operations in the second half of 2026 after the new president takes office on August 7.
- The plan permits chemical euthanasia after sedation or a single rifle shot to the head by certified shooters, and it orders burial in deep pits or cremation to handle carcasses safely.
- Officials warn the herd could reach about 500 by 2030 without action, threatening native species such as manatees and river turtles and increasing risks for nearby communities.
- Years of efforts to relocate or sterilize the animals faltered due to missing CITES import permits, costs near $9,800 per surgery, hazards in the field and inbreeding that discourages potential host countries.
- Funding of roughly $1.7 million to $2 million will focus on hotspots including Hacienda Nápoles and Isla del Silencio, and the decision drew opposition from animal-welfare advocates as scientists and the Instituto Humboldt voiced support.