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Images shared on social media this Saturday show what appear to be remains of the crocodile that escaped from the Caibarién Zoo in the province of Villa Clara earlier this week.
The photographs, published by local witnesses, reveal that the animal was found dead in a wooded area, among brush, and showing clear signs of dismemberment.
According to reports from the independent media La Tijera, the head and part of the body of the reptile were found in an area known as La Picadora, a place where waste tends to accumulate.
Local residents alerted authorities about the discovery and reported that the animal had been discarded like trash.
Hours earlier, municipal authorities had stated that the crocodile had been located alive and was under the care of the zoo. However, animal rights volunteers contradict this account and claim that the specimen died without receiving any care or rescue.
A local activist from Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC) stated on social media that she personally went to the landfill where the body of the reptile was found, confirming its death and denouncing a supposed manipulation of official information.
The causes of his death have not been clarified, although some neighbors speculate that he may have been hunted for his meat or skin, an illegal practice but one that cannot be dismissed as a hypothesis given the severe food shortage on the Island.
So far, the authorities in Caibarién have not issued an official statement regarding the discovery.
The case has revived the debate about the conditions in Cuban zoos, the lack of resources for their maintenance, and the mistreatment animals endure while in captivity.
Animal rights organizations have reiterated their demand to close parks that do not meet minimum standards of welfare and safety.
Meanwhile, the remains of the crocodile have become a symbol of the abandonment and institutional neglect affecting numerous public facilities in Cuba.
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