Cancun, Quintana Roo — The Cancun Fire Department has responded to 432 calls involving wildlife, pets, and reptiles so far this year, but bureaucratic delays between agencies are slowing down emergency veterinary care, officials said.
Fire Chief Oscar Aguilar met with Animal Welfare Director Yuli Yerbes to streamline coordination and prioritize animal protection. The department handled 242 calls for pets and domestic animals from January to May, with monthly totals of 36 in January, 49 in February, 52 in March, 77 in April, and 28 in May. Reptile-related calls — including iguanas, crocodiles, and snakes — numbered 33 in January, 33 in February, 57 in March, 34 in April, and 33 in May.
The main challenge, according to Aguilar, is the time it takes for injured animals to receive specialized care due to administrative procedures among the Fire Department, Animal Welfare, and the General Directorate of Ecology. In some cases, animals wait more than a day for a veterinarian to assess them.
“Between the institutional work we are doing among Firefighters, Animal Welfare, and Ecology, we must prioritize reducing response times and ensure, as much as possible, efficient veterinary medical care for animals and species that need it,” Aguilar said. “We handle an average of about 70 emergency calls per month related to fauna in the city.”
Residents in the Donceles 28 neighborhood noted that coatis have lived in local mangroves for decades and are generally harmless, but sometimes get hit by cars or attacked by dogs. “Coatis are very beautiful animals and have been living here even before we arrived in the neighborhood, decades ago. They are harmless and cause no problems, but some people walk dogs that, unfamiliar with them, may attack them. The saddest thing is when they get run over. Sometimes one enters a yard and, feeling threatened, becomes aggressive, so we have to ask for help,” said resident Analina.
Another species facing unjustified negative perception is the opossum, Mexico’s only native marsupial. Due to Cancun’s urban growth, opossums are increasingly seen in yards, streets, and neighborhoods. Specialists note they are harmless, do not transmit rabies due to their low body temperature, and help control pests like scorpions, cockroaches, and snakes.
Crocodiles also suffer from fear-driven reactions. While some people report sightings to authorities promptly, others try to scare them away by hitting them with branches or throwing stones. Their capture and relocation require specialized procedures that often take time.
“Firefighters do an excellent job, but they still need to improve response times from other institutions, because they are the first contact with the injured animal, and all the effort to save it gets lost in paperwork and bureaucratic processes when a living being needs urgent care,” said resident Alberto.
