March 3 was proclaimed by the United Nations as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants; in commemoration of this day, Animal Rescue Zooave in Costa Rica, symbolically destroyed 200 animal cages.

The activity took place at the Zooave in La Garita, Alajuela, many of the cages were accumulated by the animal rescue center over a certain period of time, they are usually brought in with wild animals that need attention; others were brought in by citizens that learn of the activity and decide to get rid of the cages they own.

According to Magaly Quesada, subdirector of Animal Rescue Zooave, their organization receives close to two thousand animals every year, some of which have been taken out of their habitat and when people are no longer able to care for them they leave them at the rescue center; in other cases injured animals are rescued by individuals who immediately seek the proper attention for the animal.

This year’s slogan was “Great felines: threatened predators”, since the population of different species of felines is in decline in the country as a result of illegal hunting and trade.