Rep. Adriana Gutiérrez Colón of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), together with Sahir Pujols, spokesperson for Vínculo Animal Puerto Rico, announced a legislative initiative proposing a five-year moratorium on the importation, introduction, buying and selling, and breeding of exotic species in Puerto Rico. The measure aims to strengthen biosecurity, protect biodiversity, and develop more effective prevention and control mechanisms.
During the moratorium period, officials would evaluate and strengthen public policies related to exotic species, review existing control mechanisms, and develop prevention and response strategies. The article cites reptiles such as the reticulated python and the boa constrictor as examples of species considered invasive. Gutiérrez Colón said Puerto Rico cannot continue operating as an open market for introducing and breeding exotic species without seriously evaluating the consequences for local ecosystems, calling the legislation a necessary pause to evaluate, regulate, and establish effective prevention and control mechanisms before damage becomes irreversible.