I hope this guy has a VERY miserable next four years

[DFW]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/05/ecuadoran-court-sentences-german-tourist-to-4-years-for-smuggling-galapagos-iguanas/

Sorry, but stealing endangered live animals from one of the most special protected habitats on the planet for personal gain (financial or otherwise) is so perverse, it makes my blood boil.

[mokawanis]

1. He had to know what the consequences might be

Galapagos is a very fragile place and the iguanas are endangered. Wonder why he thought he could get away with it, and why he thought it was worth the risk?

[Moondog]

2. He will.

Unless things have changed, prisons there are rather different than here.

Unless he has family / friends, whatever, to bring him stuff, to include food, he is going to have a very hard time. The penal systems in that area of the world make ours seem to be a model of enlightenment.

If he is small, weak, and has no local support system, he may well not survive this.

[A Little Weird]

3. Illegal collection of rare species is a major problem

I wish the penalties were always this severe (or worse).