Couple Arrested For Breeding Exotic Cats In Spain

Spanish authorities person arrested a mates suspected of trading exotic cats online, including protected type specified arsenic achromatic tigers, pumas and clouded leopards.

Civil Guard constabulary raided nan couple's location connected nan land of Majorca aft learning that they were owning and breeding uncommon feline type which they past sold connected societal media.

In total, 19 felines were recovered connected nan spot and rescued by agents. They included a caracal, 2 servals and 16 hybrid felines.

The Civil Guard opportunity nan find was conscionable "the extremity of nan iceberg of a plot" of a world criminal organisation involving breeders, transporters and vets.

"Most of nan animals offered for waste came from countries specified arsenic Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, to beryllium smuggled into nan European Union," nan Civil Guard said.

The authorities said nan couple's societal media was "extremely active" arsenic group from different countries contacted them to acquisition these types of animals.

The animals were smuggled into nan EU done Poland's separator pinch Belarus and past distributed pinch mendacious documents, they added.

Europe is simply a cardinal hub for exotic wildlife waste and acquisition and nan illicit achromatic marketplace is connected nan rise, according to nan International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The mates besides advertised different animals done societal media including hyenas, godforsaken lynxes and pumas.

A clouded leopard - an animal autochthonal to nan Himalayas - pinch a value tag of €60,000 (£52,000; $68,000) was besides put up for waste online.

This ambush was portion of a wider cognition which began past March. One different personification is being investigated for trading various type of exotic animals connected nan internet.

The animals person been temporarily placed astatine nan Son Servera Safari Zoo successful Majorca. They whitethorn beryllium later relocated to a rescue centre adjacent Alicante, though this is still nether discussion.

The precocious request for exotic cats is fuelled by societal media because nan felines tin beryllium seen arsenic a motion of wealthiness aliases status, according nan IFAW.

But these cats – which require a batch of abstraction – are difficult to look after.

"They are very fierce and tin airs a threat to group aliases different animals" which leads to galore group getting free of them, nan Spanish Civil Guard said.