The secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA), Rafael Machargo Maldonado, affirmed this Friday that it is up to the governor Wanda Vázquez Garced attend to the state in which the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo, in Mayagüez, which has been closed to the public since 2017 and does not even have a full-time veterinarian.
“The efforts to attend the zoo correspond to the governor. I want to have a discussion with her and discuss the options for her to say what course of action to approve. (The governor) has not presented any proposal to me, but I requested a meeting to show her my study and to make a determination, “the official stated in an interview with The new day.
The official thus reacted to several images through social networks that show the deplorable conditions in which the zoo’s recreational areas are located and the condition of the little more than 200 animals that are found there. He acknowledged that the photos show the poor condition of the facilities, but ruled out that the outlook is as negative as projected.
“There are structures that must be replaced, that is why it is the estimate and the damages of Hurricane Maria. We recognize it. But there are photos that are true and others that show more damage than they actually have “, he pointed.
The DRNA submitted to the federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) several claims totaling approximately $ 7 million in damage to the Mayagüez Zoo. This total is broken down into $ 4.5 million in deficiencies that it had prior to Hurricane Maria and $ 2.5 million after the cyclone passed in September 2017, the date from which it remains closed to the public.
The study that Machargo Maldonado refers to to take to the governor consisted of identifying the most pressing areas for which efforts must be directed at the zoo, ranging from hiring a group of veterinarians and improving the zoo’s infrastructure to concluding agreements with various universities for study and education purposes.
“The main thing is the welfare of the animals. Regarding that, since I came to the department I began a dialogue with the College of Veterinarians so that they helped us identify interested parties to work at the zoo. Too I am working with the department’s Human Resources Office to create a vet position. In addition, I asked for authorization to recruit a veterinarian as for a position of trust, “said the official.
However, none of those efforts has materialized.
The Mayagüez Zoo is in charge of more than 200 animals, many of them in advanced ages, which require the daily evaluation of a veterinarian, but There is only one specialist doctor available for when you receive the emergency call.
Daily, the secretary confirmed, only the facility’s superintendent, three biologists and maintenance personnel attend and work at the zoo.
“We do not have preventive medicine or medical evaluations”Machargo Maldonado added to the list of deficiencies at the zoo.
Although he could not provide a specific number, he confirmed that some animals have died, but said that the deaths are due to the advanced age of the animal, and not due to lack of attention or food.
At the same time, he made it clear that he does not support the closing of the zoo, but is betting that an agreement can be reached to make available the resources and personnel with which the facility can be reopened.
“To reopen the zoo, two things are necessary: will and economic resources. There is plenty of will and the economic resources we are looking for, ”he said.
They are made available to the DRNA
The president of the Save the Zoo Foundation, Lynette González, pointed out that what is needed is a special allocation of funds so that the facility can have all the necessary equipment to complete its daily functions. If that request is not fulfilled, she said, they still make themselves available to the agency to care for the animals and support the operation.
“We have always volunteered and are ready to help. But since January 2019 we have not been able to shake hands, because the former secretary Tania Vázquez made the decision to remove the volunteers and we all had to leave. I hope the animals are well, but so far, we have not had that access to the zoo ”he indicated.
He noted that they are doing their best to increase the capacity of volunteers who can offer to shake hands at the zoo through social media and radio programs.
“We have received proposals from people who could handle the box office. Private zoo projects for the conservation and protection of species, so we are receiving aid and proposals for recreation areas in the park, “said González.
He anticipated that they hope to finalize an agreement soon to select volunteers to help in infrastructure areas and green spaces of the zoo.
Regarding this last information, the DRNA secretary thanked the foundation for its disposition and expressed that they hope to achieve the creation of a working group between veterinarians and volunteers for the work in the recreational park.
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