Officers from the Tlajomulco municipal police detained a 37-year-old man on March 14 for alleged “crimes against biodiversity,” after he was found in possession of a crested caracara.
The suspect was spotted carrying the bird at the intersection of Nuevo Periférico and Juan Pablo II in the El Refugio neighborhood, claiming he had found it in nearby streets and decided to keep it.
The caracara (Caracara plancus) — a raptor belonging to the falcon family, distinguished by its orange face and scavenging habits that make it an important “ecosystem cleaner” — was placed under the care of the Tlajomulco Wildlife Rescue Unit for evaluation.
Authorities remind the public that possession of wild fauna without proper documentation is a federal crime.