Souvenirs You MUST NOT Take Out of Costa Rica (wildlife, CITES)

Costa Rica protects by law not only living animals and plants, but also their parts, products and derivatives — buying the “wrong” souvenir on the beach can end up in a criminal investigation, not just having it taken away at the airport.

**What is prohibited to take out of the country** (the rules of the international convention CITES apply):

• **Coral, marine shells, sand dollars** — even though they are openly sold at beach stalls, collecting or buying them to take out of the country is prohibited.
• **Feathers, skins, or any product that appears to come from a wild animal.**
• **Taxidermied animals (trophies), ivory, shark fins, and any animal part or product restricted by CITES.**
• **Unprocessed wood, seeds and wild plants** — worked wood in crafts (carvings, utensils) is generally allowed if it comes from an established vendor, but raw wood or seeds collected from the forest are not.

**Actual figures of the problem**: at the Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría up to **10 tons per year** of shells, snails, coral and sand dollars that tourists tried to take out of the country have been seized.

**What you can buy without problem**: crafted wood items, ceramics, textiles, coffee and cocoa products, in stores and workshops of established artisans — not from informal beach vendors offering “natural souvenirs” loose.

Note: if you are unsure about a specific souvenir you have already bought, it is better to ask directly at the store whether it has the proper permit or certificate before trying to take it out of the country — the penalty for carrying something prohibited unknowingly does not distinguish much by intention.