Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Authorities have rescued animals from the Animalandia Maya facility on Fifth Avenue and transferred them to a Wildlife Management Unit (UMA) in Akumal, following a raid prompted by animal cruelty allegations.
The operation, carried out Friday by the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office, resulted in the closure of the business and the arrest of five people, including Félix Sandoval Jaime, a former alternate councilor for the 2018-2021 municipal administration. Sandoval was listed as the operator of the UMA that housed the wild animals.
Animalandia Maya, located on the bustling Fifth Avenue between 12th and 14th streets, had long faced criticism from animal rights groups who alleged that animals — including tiger cubs, jaguars, lions, and primates — were drugged to make them docile for tourist photo opportunities.
During the raid, Sandoval claimed the action was political retaliation, but authorities stated the intervention was based on confirmed animal mistreatment. The rescued primates and felines were transferred to a sanctuary in Tulum municipality, south of Playa del Carmen. The legal status of those detained will be determined in the coming hours.
