Costa Rican authorities arrive to recover animals as zoo closes

Costa Rica has long been known for the rich biodiversity its natural environments offer and it is continuing to new steps to protect wildlife. Dozens of police, veterinarians and Environment Ministry workers arrived on Saturday at the state zoo in San Jose, which was closed, to recover more than 300 animals.

The Simon Bolivar Zoo has been closed after 11 years since Costa Rica passed a law in 2013 banning wild animals from being kept behind bars or in cages for recreational purposes. The Central American country had previously banned the use of animals in circuses and sport hunting.