MEXICO: First Mexican group to rescue and rehabilitate mistreated animals

Record ID: 308692

  • Title: MEXICO: First Mexican group to rescue and rehabilitate mistreated animals
  • Date: 16th July 2014
  • Summary: PACHUCA, HIDALGO, MEXICO (JULY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF STREET SIGN THAT READS: "COMMUNAL LIVING BIOPARK PACHUCA" SANCTUARY WORKER FEEDING BEAR SANCTUARY WORKER WITH BEAR VARIOUS OF BEAR DRINKING SNAKE HEAD IN FIELD COMPLETE SNAKE IN FIELD VARIOUS OF SNAKE MOVING SNAKE STICKING ITS TONGUE OUT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANAGER OF THE RESCUE UNIT FOR WILD, ENDEMIC AND EXOTIC ANIMALS IN MEXICO, ERIKA ORTIGOZA VAZQUEZ, SAYING: "We want to give him the tools so that he doesn't have his tongue sticking out completely and can have lingual ability. We want him to be able to bring together his jaw so that the bones aren't completely loose. Once again he has started to eat food with different textures instead of just eating mushed up liquid foods." MONKEY SITTING IN PEN SCRATCHING MONKEY LOOKING AROUND MONKEY CLIMBING MONKEY EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANAGER OF THE RESCUE UNIT FOR WILD, ENDEMIC AND EXOTIC ANIMALS IN MEXICO, ERIKA ORTIGOZA VAZQUEZ, SAYING: "We need to reconsider. Wild animals are not pets or artists. They are animals and they have a life. We owe them a debt so the least we could do is treat them with respect." LION LYING DOWN IN PEN LION'S PAW SHAKING LION YAWNING LION'S EYES LION SCARING CAMERAMAN
  • Embargoed: 31st July 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVA4CB76C1F8AVXO20Q07KHKOSSV
  • Story Text: The Communal Living Biopark Pachuca in Mexico's central state of Hidalgo cares for neglected and mistreated wild animals before rehabilitating them in nature reserves in the country or in the U.S.
    The animal sanctuary is the very first centre for the rescue, rehabilitation and relocation of wild, endemic and exotic animals in Mexico and the second in Latin America.
    The park was founded in 1978 as a play area for children and then was converted into the Pachuca Zoo. After Mexico implemented a policy favouring animal well-being in 2012, the park was turned into what it is today.
    All sorts of sick and mistreated animals arrive to the refuge, including exotic birds, lions, tigers and jaguars, snakes and even an American brown bear called Invictus who came from a circus where they cut his snout. Currently the bear is in a stable condition, but he may suffer tongue necrosis due to his condition.
    The Manager of the Rescue Unit for Wild, Endemic and Exotic Animals in Mexico, Erika Ortigoza Vazquez explained Invictus' treatment to prevent his condition from getting worse.
    "We want to give him the tools so that he doesn't have his tongue sticking out completely and can have lingual ability. We want him to be able to bring together his jaw so that the bones aren't completely loose. Once again he has started to eat food with different textures instead of just eating mashed up liquid foods," said Ortigoza.
    The medical team is already preparing to reconstruct his snout using titanium so that his tongue isn't always hanging out.
    There is also a two metre long boa constrictor in the park that came from another circus. The snake is covered in burns due to the act he used to be involved in.
    While the animals are recuperating, they are on display to the public to teach them that wild animals don't belong in the circus.
    "We need to reconsider. Wild animals are not pets or artists. They are animals and they have a life. We owe them a debt so the least we could do is treat them with respect," commented Ortigoza.
    Mexican states have recently banned the use of animals in circuses which has caused outrage within the circus community.
    The lioness Morelia arrived at the refuge over a year ago weighing only 35kg (77.2 pounds) but after treatment, she has increased by more than 100kg (220.5 pounds) to a healthier weight. In the next few weeks the sanctuary hopes she will be sent to Colorado to live out the rest of her days.
    Currently the park hosts and cares for some 278 animals from 52 species. The refuge would love to see all these animals recuperate and be relocated in Mexican nature reserves. And in the case of the big cats, they will hopefully be sent to world's largest and oldest carnivore sanctuary in Denver Colorado, where the park has collaboration agreements.
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