Larry G. Says:
Is it possible to take my macaw parrot with me to Costa Rica?
IL Costa Rica Correspondent Bekah Bottone Says:
The short answer, I’m afraid, is no. It’s illegal here in Costa Rica to have macaws as pets as they are a protected species.
All parrots are highly protected in Costa Rica, and anyone caught trafficking them will likely face a jail sentence. There is a project to repopulate the scarlet macaw population in the Hacienda Pinilla/Playa Avellana and Nicoya peninsula regions.
In addition to parrots’ status as a protected species, it’s illegal here to have any animal that is not considered to be domesticated (such as dogs and cats) as a pet—even if the animal is tame or has been raised in captivity.
Costa Rica passed this law in 2012 due to issues with capturing and trading wild animals for the pet trade.
There are even some domesticated animals that Costa Rica doesn’t allow as pets. You can see a list of which animals fall into this category (in Spanish) here.
You may try contacting MINAE, the National Ministry of the Environment and Energy, to ask if bringing your bird would be possible with the correct permits and paperwork.
But note that I’ve heard there are no ways to export birds. So if you were to get a bird into the country, it most likely would never be able to leave.
In addition, I suggest you contact Pet Lounge and see what help they can provide. I have no personal experience with the organization, but people here say they have worked miracles before.
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