The owners of the farm in Yunclillos (Toledo) never imagined that an alligator almost one meter long could appear on their raft. That was the surprise of these residents last weekend, who informed the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of the Civil Guard, which was in charge of rescuing the animal.
“The owners of the farm were surprised and disconcerted by the presence of this reptile on their property. Without wasting a second, all the operations were activated and the necessary equipment was prepared to face this challenge”, they explain from the Zoo Koki Foundation, which also participated in the capture along with Safari Madrid personnel, who did have adequate facilities to accommodate later to this species.
As the foundation explains in an Instagram post, together they formed a multidisciplinary team and went to the area to try to capture the animal, a young spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus).
The rescue was not easy: “Facing this task turned out to be a real odyssey. The 150 x 40 meter lake posed us a titanic challenge. But, we didn't give up and after many failed attempts, dives and various capture strategies, we achieved the goal! We managed to capture the specimen. A male one meter long.
The Zoo Koki Foundation recalls that it is a highly valued species. And they believe that it was able to stop on the rafts of this Toledo town after being “illegally” acquired to sell it on the unregulated market.
This entity takes advantage of this rescue to remember the importance of protecting and conserving the planet's biodiversity. “We also want to remind you of the importance of thinking before acquiring an exotic animal as a pet. Each species has unique needs for its well-being. Before making the decision to have an exotic animal, research and get advice on its habitat, diet, social interactions and medical needs, ”they conclude.
