Wednesday, 28 April 2010 09:14

A week after seizing 270 billets (birds) Middle Magdalena Police seized on the road, between Bucaramanga and Barrancabermeja, a sloth bear that was abandoned in the development of operational carretera.En aql control illegal trafficking of wildlife at km 27 of track The Lizama - Barrancabermeja members of the National Police found a side road to a sloth bear, concealed in a jute bag.

The primate, in danger of extinction, it would be marketed by farmers in the area to road users. However, noting the presence of units of Traffic and Transportation Sectional Police traffickers decided to leave to one side of the road.

The commercial value of this species ranges at 500,000 pesos, but its ecological value amounts to 3.65 million pesos.

The quarterfinals, the sloth bear contributes to reforestation and nutrient cycling in tropical forests, where once a week down to the base of your tree to defecate and urinate, dig a hole to deposit faeces, returning half receiving nutrients by eating their leaves.

The units of the Environmental and Ecological Police remind the public that wild animals can not live in captivity, they need their space and food.

The operating result, adds to the seizure of 230 bird species toche, hidden in cardboard boxes and nine found in buses.

The illegal wildlife trafficking in Colombia affects 234 species of birds, 76 mammals, 27 reptiles and 9 amphibians, according to the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development.

The species seized will be left available to the Autonomous Regional Corporation (CAS) before being released into their habitat.

BUCARAMANGA EL TIEMPO