Environmental Officials Release Protected Great Curassow Found in Cancún Home

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Environmental officials in Cancún have released a protected bird that was found being held in a private home. The great curassow was freed on Monday in a natural area of Cancún after authorities rescued it.

Officials learned about the captive bird following a citizen complaint. Staff from the Ecology Department confirmed the report at a private residence in the SM 75 neighborhood.

A citizen reported that the bird was caged in a house on April 20, 2026. Fernando Haro, director of Cancún’s Ecology Department, said that when reports of wildlife in urban areas are received, such cases are addressed immediately.

According to Haro, the bird was located in a home in SM 75 and removed because it is a species protected by Official Standard 059 of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

He explained that the procedure involved securing the bird and handing it over to the appropriate authority.

“We secured the animal and turned it over to the corresponding authority, which in this case is Profepa (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection),” Haro said.

Haro stated that possession of this type of bird is restricted as they are not species intended for commercialization or domestic keeping.

“They are not species for possession or for any type of sale,” he said, adding that his department in Cancún handles between seven and 10 similar reports daily. He explained that most citizen complaints related to the capture of wild or exotic animals involve birds and snakes.

Once a report is made and the animal is confiscated, they are relocated to protected natural areas within the municipality, such as parks or ecological reserves.