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In May two men were arrested at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. Rangers caught the Italian father and son attempting to smuggle hundreds of protected insects out of the nature preserve.

The men were on vacation in Sri Lanka. They have been held in the country since their arrest.

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Sri Lanka Butterfly Theft

Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka's most popular wildlife parks, home to a high concentration of leopards, elephants and buffalos, among other animals.

According to the BBC Luigi Ferrari, 68, and his 28-year-old son Mattia were convicted last week of illegal collection, possession and transportation of the insects.

They were fined 60 million Sri Lankan rupees or $200,000 US dollars for the theft. This is said to be the highest-ever fine for wildlife crime in the country. The men could face two years in jail if they fail to pay the fine by 24 September.

Dr. Jagath Gunawardena, an expert on environmental law, told the BBC Sinhala that the record fines were a warning to people that prey on endangered species.

The Crime

Rangers made the arrest after the men were found with hundreds of jars containing the rare native insects, including 92 types of butterflies, in the trunk of their car.

Park Ranger K Sujeewa Nishantha, told BBC Sinhala that a safari jeep driver had informed his team of rangers that a "suspicious car" was parked along the road. The two suspects were found in the nearby forest with insect nets.

"All the insects were dead when we found them. They put a chemical in the bottles," Mr. Nishantha said. "There were more than three hundred animals."

According to investigators the father and son had lured and killed the insects with animal attractants. They planned on using wax sachets to chemically preserve the butterflies.

Italian news reports say the men were on vacation in Sri Lanka at the time and have been held in the country since the incident.

The Accused

Luigi Ferrari, an orthopedic surgeon who specialises in treating foot and ankle injuries, is described as an insect enthusiast, reports say. He is also a member of an entomology association in Modena, a city in the north of Italy.

The Italian daily Corriere della Sera reports that Ferrari’s colleagues and friends continue to plead for leniency in the case. Some suggest that the butterflies found in his possession have no commercial value and are not endangered.