Organized crime and violence in the Mexican state of Sinaloa forced a local sanctuary to close and transfer at least 700 animals – including elephants, tigers, lions, ostriches, chickens, monkeys, crocodiles and hippo – for a new place 212 kilometers away.
The animals were transferred from the Ostok Sanctuary in Culiacán, a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, to Mazatlán, in the south of the state, due to continuous violence, according to the director of the sanctuary, Ernesto Zazueta.
In recent months, violence between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel has increased throughout the state of northwest Mexico, particularly in Culiacán.
According to Zazueta, this is the greatest relocation of wildlife ever held in Mexico due to violence.
Zazueta said the sanctuary was closed due to threats to employees, theft and attempts to extort by criminal groups.
Zazueta told CNN That the Sanctuary team, along with volunteers and support organizations, relocated the animals last Tuesday (20) to a place called “BioParque El Funato”.
“Culiacán is the most dangerous area. We have never had problems on other occasions, but nowadays it was very difficult even to reach the sanctuary. They practically expelled us from the place because there were people wanting us to extort,” said Zazueta.
Zazueta said the sanctuary made this decision after one of his elephants, named Viki, had a leg problem and the team realized that no veterinarian was willing to make the trip to Culiacán due to security issues.
This content was originally published in Violence Force withdrawn 700 Sanaloa Sanctuary Animals in Mexico on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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