150 Wildlife Saved and Released in Cozumel – Community Efforts Shine

The Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation has successfully rescued and released 150 wildlife specimens in 2024. The local community's active involvement has enabled the Foundation to rescue and reintroduce these animals, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and crustaceans, back into their natural habitat. This effort underscores the Foundation's dedication to maintaining the island's ecological balance.

Juanita Alonso Marrufo, the Foundation's general director, emphasized that protecting flora and fauna aligns with the New Agreement for the Welfare and Development of Quintana Roo. This initiative, spearheaded by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, stresses that environmental conservation is not solely a government responsibility. It also requires society to raise awareness and adopt sustainable practices that contribute to natural resource preservation.

Rafael Chacón Díaz, the director of Conservation and Environmental Education (CEA), reported that the 150 rescued specimens included 65 birds impacted by window collisions or road accidents and 43 mammals such as opossums, raccoons, and bats. The team also responded to 41 reports of reptiles, including iguanas and crocodiles found in urban or road areas, and protected migrating blue crabs from being run over.

Chacón praised the community's role in reporting wildlife at risk and acknowledged the team led by veterinarian Julio César Gutiérrez. This team provides specialized care for the rescued animals at the Veterinary Medical Center (CMV).

Chacón urged the community to continue reporting injured or endangered wildlife to the Center for Conservation and Environmental Education (CCEA). The community can reach out to the CCEA via the Foundation's social media, phone at 987-112-9791, or visit the center located on 65th Avenue in the Industrial Zone.

The Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to conserving and protecting Cozumel's biodiversity in a statement. It also called on the island's inhabitants to contribute to the solution, recognizing that individual efforts collectively lead to a sustainable future for the island's species.