Tigers, elephants among hundreds of animals escaping cartel violence in Mexico
Not even wild animals are safe from the relentless violence of Mexico’s cartel wars. This week, tigers, elephants, lions, and monkeys were forced to evacuate from a wildlife refuge in Culiacán, Sinaloa, a city that has been overrun by cartel gunmen. The animals, some of which were once kept as pets by drug lords, were moved to another facility after staff faced threats and gunfire, showcasing a complete breakdown of law and order in the region.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the Ostok Sanctuary, which was home to over 700 animals, had no choice but to pack up and flee due to months of violence and intimidation from rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. The sanctuary director, Ernesto Zazueta, described the situation as unprecedented, stating, “We’ve never seen violence this extreme.”
Culiacán has long been under the firm control of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. However, the fragile peace was shattered when a son of El Chapo Guzmán kidnapped a rival cartel leader and handed him over to U.S. authorities. This sparked a violent turf war between rival factions, leaving civilians, including innocent children and families, caught in the crossfire.
Security analyst David Saucedo explained to the AP that the warring cartels are resorting to extortion, kidnapping, and robbery to fund their ongoing conflict. Shootings have become a daily occurrence, roads are blocked, and parents live in fear of sending their children to school. As night falls, the streets become deserted, with businesses closing down and the police largely absent.
The Ostok Sanctuary, located near Jesús María, a stronghold of the Chapitos faction led by El Chapo’s sons, became an increasingly dangerous place to operate. The animals housed at the sanctuary, including tigers, lions, and elephants, began showing signs of trauma from the constant gunfire and nearby helicopter activity.
Some of the animals had once belonged to cartel bosses, with reports of tigers being found chained during shootouts and rumors of drug lords feeding enemies to their pet lions. The sanctuary staff received threats to burn down the facility and harm the animals unless extortion payments were made, adding to the atmosphere of terror.
Despite pleading for help from the government, the sanctuary received no assistance or protection. The final straw came when one of the elephants, Bireki, injured her foot and no vet was willing to travel to cartel territory to treat her. This led to the decision to evacuate all the animals from the sanctuary to a safer location in Mazatlán.
Trucks loaded with sedated tigers, lions, jaguars, and elephants made the harrowing journey out of Culiacán, past masked cartel lookouts, and into Mazatlán. The staff, with months of training and planning, ensured the animals arrived safely at their new home. However, there is a lingering fear that cartel violence could follow them, as the disease of violence continues to spread.
The story of the Ostok Sanctuary serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of cartel violence on both human and animal lives in Mexico. The hope now is that the animals will find peace and safety in their new refuge, far from the horrors of Culiacán.
