Once upon a time, Mexico had a first-rate network of Animal Rescue Centers.
The Centros para la Conservación e Investigación de la Vida Silvestre (CIVS) were started in 1988 and over the years they rescued countless thousands of mammals, birds and reptiles. Then, during the Presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, all 11 CIVS centers were unceremoniously shut down.
Wild animals, however, are still turning up in unexpected places and Mexican vets and biologists are scrambling to find temporary shelters for them, as well as the ways and means to return them to their natural habitat, whenever possible.
Guadalajara’s Parque Agua Azul was one of the first organizations to come to the rescue of displaced, misplaced or mistreated wild animals, and I described their work in part one of this series (GR edition of August 29-September 4).
Recently, I was invited to another city park inside greater Guadalajara, which is collaborating with Agua Azul in these efforts.
Villa Fantasia, located in Zapopan, used to be a zoo, but is now dedicated full time to the rescue, rehabilitation and return to the wild of hapless mammals, reptiles and birds that were somehow removed from their natural environment.
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.