An Italian father and son have been fined a record 60 million Sri Lankan rupees ($200,000; £150,000) after being caught attempting to smuggle hundreds of native insects, including 92 species of butterflies, out of a safari park in Sri Lanka.
Luigi Ferrari, 68, and his 28-year-old son Mattia were arrested in Yala National Park on 8 May after rangers discovered jars filled with insects in their vehicle.
The Ferraris had used animal attractants to lure the insects and intended to preserve them chemically using wax sachets, according to the investigation.
In early September, they were convicted of illegal collection, possession, and transportation of the insects, receiving the largest fine ever imposed for a wildlife crime in Sri Lanka.
Park ranger K Sujeewa Nishantha told BBC Sinhala that a safari driver had alerted rangers to a “suspicious car” parked by the roadside, with two men seen in the forest with insect nets.
Upon searching the car, rangers found the insects, all of which were dead, inside jars that contained chemicals. “There were more than three hundred animals,” Nishantha said.
Initially, the men faced 810 charges, but this was later reduced to 304. They have until 24 September to pay the fine or face two years in prison.
Italian news outlets reported that the men were vacationing in Sri Lanka at the time of the incident and have been held in the country since.
Yala National Park, in southeast Sri Lanka, is known for its rich wildlife, including leopards, elephants, and buffalos.
Luigi Ferrari, an orthopaedic surgeon and insect enthusiast, is a member of an entomology association in Modena, Italy.
His friends and colleagues in Italy have appealed for leniency, arguing that the butterflies in his possession held no commercial value, according to Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
Environmental law expert Dr. Jagath Gunawardena told BBC Sinhala that the hefty fine serves as a deterrent and sets a strong precedent for future wildlife crimes.
Source-BBC
