• 3 min de lectura
• 3 min de lectura
As part of its sanitary tasks and with the aim of facilitating the relocation of wild animals in captivity, the National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (SENASA) issued the International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) for the export to the Republic of South Africa of nine tigers and six African lions that were in the former Luján Zoo.
The operation, promoted by the international organization Four Paws and coordinated between SENASA, the Undersecretariat of Environment of the Nation and the exporting company, is part of an initiative aimed at relocating these wild specimens to free-living sanctuaries. On this occasion, they were transferred to the Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary, a big cat sanctuary located in Bethlehem, South Africa.
In this context, the national sanitary body first verified compliance with the sanitary and documentary requirements for all animals, such as microchip identification, mandatory quarantine prior to departure, application of the rabies vaccine, internal and external antiparasitic treatments, along with a clinical examination. Finally, the Lazareto office of the SENASA Metropolitan Regional Center issued the CVI that covered the movement.
Before boarding, all required documentation was corroborated, including export and transit permits corresponding to the stopovers, along with the wildlife/CITES authorization. The transfer was carried out in containers in accordance with the norms and standards of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which must be new or disinfected and fumigated before any animal load, and provide essential animal welfare guarantees.
It should be noted that SENASA carried out the corresponding negotiations with the official veterinary service of South Africa to update the certification agreement, necessary for the export of the wild specimens. In addition, it coordinated with the health authorities of Germany and the Netherlands —where the transferred animals made a stopover—, with the aim of avoiding delays during the journey.
The Lionsrock sanctuary offers a permanent and suitable home to more than 80 rescued big cats (lions, tigers, leopards) from all over the world. There they are provided with an appropriate space for their species for the rest of their lives, considering that these are animals that lived many years in captivity and cannot be released and/or reintroduced into their natural habitat.
For this reason, the organization offers them a safe refuge, where they can develop their natural behaviors, but also have professional care adapted to their needs, since these are felines whose survival capacity is limited and largely depends on the collaboration of specialized personnel.
Together with FourPaws and the Undersecretariat of Environment of the Nation, SENASA will continue with its tasks of sanitary certification and export of more than 30 big cats currently in the former Luján Zoo, which will be relocated to free-living sanctuaries.
