Bocas Community Seeks Independent Legal Review to Protect Wildlife

For years The Bocas Breeze has highlighted growing community concerns over the number of monkeys and sloths being electrocuted following the installation of new electrical infrastructure on Isla Colón.

— ARTÍCULO EN ESPAÑOL —

Since then, residents, local businesses, conservation organisations and volunteers have worked tirelessly to find practical solutions. Wildlife crossings have been installed, incidents have been documented, and extensive evidence has been collected and reported in the hope of reducing further wildlife deaths.

These efforts have demonstrated what can be achieved when a community comes together. However, despite ongoing mitigation work, wildlife electrocutions continue to occur.

Members of the community have now decided to seek an independent legal opinion from an environmental lawyer with experience in Panamanian environmental law. The purpose is not to create conflict, but to better understand the legal framework governing the project, review the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the Environmental Management Plan (PMA), and the relevant environmental legislation, and identify the most effective pathway toward implementing long-term wildlife protection measures.

The community remains hopeful that practical, collaborative solutions can be achieved. Protecting wildlife and maintaining a reliable electrical network are shared objectives. The legal review is intended to help ensure that these solutions can be implemented as effectively and as promptly as possible.

Your donation will help cover the costs of an independent legal review and the legal process needed to ensure that Naturgy, ASEP, and MiAmbiente comply with the legally binding requirements and environmental mitigation measures established in the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (PMA).

A public GoFundMe campaign has been launched. Community members are also invited to sign and share the online petition, helping demonstrate the widespread support for protecting Bocas del Toro’s unique wildlife and to keep reporting Wildlife electrocutions on the link below.

The communities shared belief that Bocas del Toro’s extraordinary wildlife is one of the region’s greatest treasures and that it deserves every effort to ensure its protection for future generations.

How you can help

• Sign the Change.org petition. Share the campaign with family and friends.
• Support the GoFundMe campaign.
• Report Wildlife electrocutions here: Tally.so