SAN JUAN – Seven lions, a bear, a dromedary, a marabou, a porcupine and a kangaroo were transferred to the Wild Animal Sanctuary, in Colorado, after leaving the Puerto Rico Dr. Juan A Rivero Zoo in Mayagüez, in the west of the Caribbean island, which will close permanently.
The zoo, with more than 300 animals, was the only one on the island and closed to the public six years ago after damage from the devastating Hurricane Maria.
For its part, the Fundación Salvemos el Zoológico Dr. Juan A. Rivero denounced this Saturday on its Facebook page that unlicensed veterinarians from Puerto Rico are the ones who are working with controlled drugs to take the animals away.
In addition, he criticized that “they did not allow the veterinarians of the Puerto Rico zoo to be present or their keepers” in the transfer of the animals to the Aguadilla airport, in the west of the island.
The head of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), Anaís Rodríguez, reported at the end of February that Puerto Rico would close its only zoo.
Rodríguez clarified that, after the closure of the zoo, the authorities contacted sanctuaries in the United States so that these species could be relocated to other places.
The non-profit organization Aid International for Elephants (EAI) reported at the end of March that Mundi, the zoo elephant, will have a new home in a shelter in Georgia, United States.
According to the press spokesman for the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources (DNER), Aniel Bigio, Mundi will be transferred “in May.”
Images disseminated by the Puerto Rican journalist Valeria Collazo on social networks at the beginning of November denounced that the animals lived in unsanitary conditions and the most alarming area due to the high temperatures of the facilities is that of the bears.
After the publication of these audiovisual files, the Puerto Rican population demanded solutions from the Government, including the proposal to send the animals to accredited sanctuaries.
At the end of the transfer of all the animals to their respective sanctuaries, the Government of Puerto Rico assured that it will rebuild the area to create “a concept” that has open spaces so that people can walk, camp and enjoy nature.
Hurricane Maria caused some 3,000 deaths in Puerto Rico, extensive infrastructure destruction, and a total power outage that lasted up to a year in some areas.