Lioness Neglect Claims at Tizimín Zoo Debunked

Tizimín, Yucatán — A photograph circulating on social media has sparked controversy, showing a feline allegedly neglected at the La Reina zoo in Tizimín. The image emerged after the death of an eight-year-old jaguar at the zoo placed the facility under intense public scrutiny.

The photograph purports to show a lioness that is allegedly receiving poor care, is not being fed properly, is injured, and is at apparent risk of losing her life. However, the zoo's manager, José Manuel Alcocer Perera, and the biologist in charge of animal care, Ermilo José Alcalá Kauil, asserted that the issue has political undertones and denied the alleged situation regarding the feline.

They stated that ill-intentioned individuals are attempting to take advantage of the situation to give the zoo a bad reputation and discredit the work carried out there. The manager and the biologist explained that the photographs of the lioness were leaked by a worker from the same park, who was possibly bribed because he had some discontent with the current administration.

They emphasized that the worker's lack of ethics is outrageous because, regarding the photos showing the lioness unconscious, the worker knew it was part of a protocol to administer treatment and monitor her health. In light of this, they said that some social media pages belonging to alleged activists, purportedly paid by political groups, are trying to deceive the public by claiming the lioness was on the verge of death because she was malnourished and did not even have the strength to move.

The interviewees explained that this is a lioness of advanced age, approximately two decades old, who is nearly reaching the limit of her existence. They noted that the average lifespan in captivity for this species is 15 to 16 years for females and eight to 10 years for males, meaning she has surpassed it and is estimated to possibly survive a little longer.

Her age causes her to have ailments and difficulty with mobility, as she reflects constant discomfort in her legs and hips, and therefore, she must be treated as a geriatric patient with special food and treatment. For this reason, her claws are trimmed, blood samples were taken for analysis, and she was even taken for an ultrasound and X-rays to monitor her progress.

A protocol is followed for this, as with all felines, which consists of covering their eyes and anesthetizing them to avoid accidents. It was at that moment when the photographs were taken that are now being used to allege mistreatment. They emphasized that the priority at La Reina is the health of the animals and that for this purpose, they receive veterinary care from the professionals working there, or externally with assessment and attention from nearby zoos.