Alerted by the death of a deer in the zoo in the city of Chilpancingo, in southern Mexico, local authorities have uncovered a vast system of embezzlement committed by the director, José Rubén Nava, who was dismissed from his post on January, reports the AP agency, broadcast by The Guardian.
Authorities revealed that in December, four pygmy goats at the zoo were euthanized and cooked on the orders of the former director, before being served to employees as part of a New Year’s Eve party.
“This has endangered the health of the employees because these animals are not fit for human consumption,” said Fernando Ruiz Gutiérrez, director of wildlife at the local environmental department.
A vast smuggling system
In addition to the death of these goats, José Rubén Nava would have launched a vast system of smuggling, to exchange animals for favors. Deer and watusis, a bovine native to East Africa, were allegedly sold without following the necessary administrative procedures.
A zebra was also traded for tools to repair zoo facilities, authorities said, but none of the tools could be located. The AP agency emphasizes that it remains impossible for the moment to know if the former director will be prosecuted in court.
This is not the first time that a Mexican zoo has been accused of abuse. In 2018, the zoo of the city of Morelia stood out. Management had refused to allow a polar bear, suffering from the local hot climate, to be flown to England.
Source: BFM TV
