Are there lions in Mexico? Exploring the Presence and Rescue Efforts of Exotic Animals
I was walking through a small park in Mexico, and I wondered, are there lions in Mexico? Good question, and it inspires us to answer.
One of the things you might have wondered is if there are lions in Mexico, but it is important to understand a bit about Mexican fauna.
It is worth noting that the felines that exist in Mexico have always fascinated Mexican society due to their great diversity of species.
In fact, it is important to specify that ancient cultures had such an appreciation for these animals that they considered them deities.
Nowadays, the uncontrolled population growth and lack of ecological awareness have caused the alteration of the natural habitat where felines reside in Mexico.
When their natural space is destroyed, sanctuaries are established for the care and protection of these mammals and other endangered animals.
Currently, many types of wild felines are threatened by hunting, illegal trafficking, the introduction of invasive species, or habitat destruction.
Mexico’s wild felines are carnivorous animals that require large spaces to survive; for this reason, areas that mimic the spaces where they used to live have been created.
Therefore, a feline sanctuary in Mexico takes care of these animals, as in such spaces they receive daily care, and each rescued species spends the rest of its life in this habitat, being able to develop freely without the danger of disappearing.
Within the sanctuaries, there can be all kinds of wild animals, but the felines of Mexico, being among the species most at risk of extinction, require special places for their care since their current population rate is very low.
But are there lions in Mexico?
The lions we know with manes are not really found in Mexico; there are pumas or American lions, but not the lion as such.
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Are There Lions in Mexico? Species in Captivity
One of the most attention-grabbing cases in Mexico was the birth of the first white lion on Mexican soil.
Despite having “minimal” chances of survival in its early days, the first white lion born in captivity in Mexico, known as a miracle, was recorded in 2018.
The pair of white lions housed at the Altiplano Zoo in Tlaxcala (in the center of the country) had the cub on October 28, 2018.
The white lion, originally from southern Africa, is considered endangered. Today, there are approximately 300 of these animals in captivity, and they are difficult to find in the wild.
The other two specimens at the Tlaxcala zoo, Metztli and Tonatiuh, arrived in 2015 when they were six years old.
Another notable case in 2018 involved a man being reported for having three African lions in a residential area.
The three African lions living in Mexico City caused fear among the neighbors of a popular residential area in the east of the Mexican capital. These animals were rescued.
Various organizations have reported that a large number of tigers and lions continue to be found in private residences throughout Mexico.
Veterinarian María Teresa Moreno, who specializes in the commercialization and legal advisory of wildlife, says that today there are over 5,000 authorized exotic animal traders in Mexico, not including the black market.
An article in the Mexican magazine Fortuna estimates that it is possible to acquire a tiger or a lion for 65,000 pesos.
Are there lions in Mexico? How Many.
Due to the illegal trafficking of wildlife from other continents, it is difficult to determine how many lions are in Mexico. However, it is possible to find lions in some zoos and wildlife parks in Mexico.
Examples include Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Benito Juárez Zoo in Morelia, Michoacán, and Zacango Ecological Park in the State of Mexico.
Mistreatment of Lions in Mexico
Regarding the question, are there lions in Mexico? It is already evident, and the estimated population number is unknown.
For example, on October 24, 2022, a lion approximately four years old was found chained in an unfinished house in Chalco, State of Mexico.
The feline was dehydrated and severely malnourished, but it was found accidentally during a search for a missing person.
The next day, Profepa approved its transfer to a UMA in Hidalgo, but they did not specify which of the 115 registered units in this state or who would be responsible for its care.
Another case involved Black Jaguar White Tiger, which exposed the flawed permits granted by Semarnat and the poor supervision by Profepa in such centers.
Profepa is the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection.
It was also estimated that this case involved about 190 felines, including African lions, white lions, tigers, jaguars, and pumas, as well as 17 primates and 2 coyotes.
The issue is that there is no public record of the animal to be tracked in case it disappears, as has happened with other animals in the custody of the agency.
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Organizations Protecting Lions in Mexico
Are there lions in Mexico? Apparently, more than we imagine and without a clear number, given the high trafficking of this species.
Therefore, there are various organizations that allow monitoring of complaints and suspicions of people keeping these felines in captivity.
For example, there is the Environmental Enrichment program, which has 11 African lions that were rescued in poor conditions from the so-called Black Jaguar White Tiger sanctuary, located in the Ajusco area, south of Mexico City.
The Secretariat of the Environment (Sedema) of Mexico City reports that the 11 specimens have been successfully rehabilitated thanks to the efforts of veterinarians, caregivers, and biologists from the Chapultepec and San Juan de Aragón Wildlife Conservation Centers.
In addition to Sedema, there are other institutions and programs that aim to rescue these animals, as well as tigers, which, beyond being in captivity under inadequate conditions, are poorly fed and condemned to die.
It is estimated that between 2011 and 2021, Profepa seized 869 large felines (including lions, jaguars, leopards, tigers, and pumas), of which 8 ended up becoming residents of the Chapultepec Zoo. The whereabouts of the remaining 861 are unknown.
