In the early hours of this Wednesday, a multidisciplinary team from the Complex Ciego de Ávila Zoo set out for the municipality of Florida, in Camagüey, to carry out what is known as "Operation Leo": the rescue of the lion Panchito, the only feline at the municipal zoo of that area, which had been at the center of public complaints regarding abandonment and severe malnutrition for weeks.
The night operation concluded successfully. Workers in green uniforms and safety helmets loaded the animal's transport cage into a white truck and set off towards Ciego de Ávila, where Panchito was immediately received for veterinary care.
"Thanks to the effort and love for animals, lion Panchito is now in his new enclosure," confirmed the zoo in its Facebook posts.
Since his arrival, the animal receives multivitamins and enhanced nutrition. The institution clarified that Panchito will not be on display "until further notice," while he recovers from the journey and adapts to his new environment.
The case erupted on July 21, when activist and journalist Ailen Vargas Abella denounced the abandonment of the feline on Facebook: the animal had gone "a full month" without food, was locked in a cage with rusty corrugated iron bars, had a dirty earth floor, debris and bones on the ground, and was visibly ribbed.
"The lack of commitment and the irresponsibility of those responsible for the animal's welfare are the consequences of the depressing situation at the zoo and for the lion, which is almost immortal, considering the neglect it is subjected to," wrote Vargas Abella.
It was not the first alert. In December 2025, independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada had already reported that the same animal had gone eight days without eating. And in 2018, when Florida hosted the provincial event for July 26, the provincial institution committed to relocating the feline to the provincial zoo, a promise that took eight years to come to fruition.
It was the public pressure generated by Vargas Abella's complaint that ultimately triggered institutional action. The Ciego de Ávila zoo itself acknowledged "his sensitivity and the work done to bring attention to Panchito's situation."
The rescue was supported by Aniplant-Cuba, Ayaz Zoo, the OSDE of Flora and Fauna, the Cuban Zoo Company, and the territorial delegation of Hydraulic Resources of Ciego de Ávila.
The case of Panchito is not an isolated incident. In April 2026, there was a report of extreme abandonment of lions at the Casino Campestre Zoo in Camagüey, whose managers acknowledged that the economic crisis impacts feeding. In February of the same year, Bienestar Animal Cuba raised concerns about hunger and abandonment at the zoo in Puerto Padre, in Las Tunas. Similar situations have been reported at the 26 Zoo in Havana, in Colón (Matanzas), Santiago de Cuba, and Sancti Spíritus.
Cuba has Decree-Law No. 31 on Animal Welfare and Resolution 140 from 2021, which expressly prohibit abuse, abandonment, and cruel treatment of animals. However, its implementation in state facilities has been virtually nonexistent, according to reports gathered throughout the country.
"During these days and until further notice, he will not be on display as he needs to recover from the journey and adapt to his new home, where love and care will abound. Welcome, Panchito," the Ciego de Ávila zoo wrote when announcing the arrival of the feline.
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