2023-08-06 16:50:47
Last Friday, August 4, a video was released on social networks in which the mayor of the district of Coyllurqui, Peru, Fritz Valencia Barcena, starred in an act of animal abuse that has generated the repudiation of citizens and environmental organizations. The official chained and dragged an Andean condor during a national celebration in the town’s main square.
As can be seen in the video posted online, the mayor arrived at the scene with the bird tied to a chain and paraded it through the streets, while people applauded and musicians played. The condor, which showed signs of stress and injuries, tried to escape, but was subdued by the mayor, who held it tight and pulled its wings.
Some neighbors tried to intervene to free the animal, but were prevented by the municipality’s security agents.
???????? | An Andean condor, one of the emblematic birds of Peru, was dragged by the mayor of Coyllurqui in Apurímac during national holiday celebrations. It has been announced that he will be criminally prosecuted.
pic.twitter.com/SOZHfTIevo— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) August 4, 2023
One of the most emblematic birds of the Andes, the condor, is threatened with extinction due to human action. According to
The Trade of Peru
its population has suffered a serious decline due to poaching and poisoning caused by the remains of domestic animals it ingests.
The event was recorded on video and broadcast on social networks, where a wave of indignation and rejection was generated. Many users described the mayor as “inhuman”, “cruel” and “abusive”. They also demanded his dismissal, his sanction, and also asked that the condor be rescued and that he be given veterinary care.
After the great indignation that this act aroused, it was learned that the
National Forest and Wildlife Service of Peru
rescued the condor and confirms that “the specimen has been transferred to the Taraccasa Recreational Ecological Center, where it receives specialized care.”
???????? SERFOR rescued a condor exhibited by municipal authorities in a national holiday parade in Apurímac.
After its successful recovery, the bird was transferred to an authorized breeding center where it receives specialized care.
✅ Learn more about this case: pic.twitter.com/6Hsg30YdtY— Serfor Peru (@SerforPeru) August 2, 2023
Although the bird was successfully rescued, the SNFS reported that “it is an adult female specimen, which was very thin, dehydrated and with battered wing and tail feathers.” The condor is in reserved diagnosis.
The Andean condor is the world’s largest flying bird and a national symbol of several South American countries, including Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru. According to
Mongabay
it is estimated that in our country there are 63 specimens.
Faced with the controversy, Mayor Fritz Valencia Barcena issued a statement in which he apologized for what happened and assured that it was a “tribute” to the Andean condor, which is part of the culture and identity of Coyllurqui.
He also stated that the bird was returned to its natural habitat and that it did not suffer any damage. However, these statements have neither convinced nor calmed critics, who continue to demand justice for the Andean condor.
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