Clandestine zoo with more than 150 exotic animals dismantled in Nules (Castellón)

The Civil Guard has dismantled a real clandestine zoo in a private plot in the Castellón town of Nules. Inside, more than 150 exotic animals belonging to 56 different species from several continents were located. Behind the installation were two people investigated for possible crimes against wildlife and smuggling linked to trafficking of protected species.

The investigation started from a social media ad offering clearly protected animals for sale. From that digital trail, agents located a property with batteries of cages and enclosures very similar to those appearing in the ad photos. From outside it was clear that this was not an authorized center or a conservation project, but a private collection that functioned in practice as an illegal zoo.

Among the seized animals were specimens of Asian otters, kinkajous, agoutis and other mammals uncommon in Spain, as well as species used as attractions in the exotic pet market: caracals, kangaroos, meerkats, various tropical birds and different primate species. Part of the collection consisted of animals cataloged with maximum international protection, such as ring-tailed lemurs or a Bali starling, of which few specimens remain in the wild.

The facilities also contained zebras, servals, toucans, ibises, crowned cranes, owls, macaws, opossums and other animals with different degrees of legal protection. Two of the macaws were even listed as stolen and had been reported for theft in the province of Almería, which reinforces the link between this type of collection and other criminal activities. Provisional reports calculate that the economic and environmental damage derived from these specimens exceeds two million euros.

The two men, around 30 and 35 years old, are being investigated for their role in buying, selling and breeding these animals without the necessary permits. During the searches, specialists from the Ministry for Ecological Transition collaborated in the identification and cataloging of the species found. The case serves to remind that there is no "innocent private collection" when it comes to protected wildlife: keeping exotic animals without authorization can end in serious crimes and the definitive loss of the specimens themselves.