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.
More Akumal
- Uxuxubi Seeks Spot in Mundo Sagrado Community Tourism Corridor
- Akumal Halts Turtle Swim Tours Through September
- Akumal Closes Turtle Nesting Season With 922 Nests, Below Recent Record
- Quintana Roo Signs Co-Management Deal to Protect Xcacel-Xcacelito Turtle Sanctuary
- Riviera Maya School Authorized to Offer International Baccalaureate Diploma
More Playa del Carmen
- Playa Food Week Joins a Busy October for Playa del Carmen Restaurants
- Playa del Carmen Weighs Scooter Limits and Zoned Mototaxi Operations
- Mayakoba Residents Cite Robberies as Playa del Carmen Announces New Park
- Heavy Rains Flood Streets and Homes Across Quintana Roo, Cutting Power and Commerce
- Playa del Carmen Aerial Gymnast Seeks Sponsors for Prague Competition
