The violence that hits Sinaloa no longer only displaces families, businesses and entire routines, but also forces transport hundreds of wild and exotic animals that lived in a sanctuary located on the outskirts of Culiacán.
He Ostok Sanctuary began to evacuate more than 700 animals, including tigers, jaguars, lions, monkeys and elephants, to Mazatlánamid threats, armed attacks, robberies and difficulties in obtaining basic supplies to keep them alive.
The story was documented by Connected Press, which accompanied part of the transfer operation in May 2025. The process is developing its final chapters and the case has now circulated again in international publications, exposing a less visible consequence of the legal violence in northwest Mexico: Even wildlife refuges were caught in the advance of insecurity.
A sanctuary trapped by violence in Culiacán
Ostok functioned as a shelter for animals rescued from different contexts: circuses, abandonment, seizures and cases linked to the illegal possession of exotic species. According to AP, for years they also came to the place animals that had been pets of members of organized crime.
The sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Culiacán, one of the areas hit by the internal dispute of the Sinaloa Cartel. The violence intensified after the conflict between factions linked to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and “Los Chapitos”, sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
In that context, Those responsible for the shelter reported constant threats, armed attacks, extortion, vehicle thefts and cuts in the supply chain. The problem was not only the safety of the workers: without food, medicine or veterinarians willing to enter the area, the animals were also at risk.
More than 700 animals transferred to Mazatlán
The transfer began with a complex operation: veterinarians, caregivers and specialized personnel loaded metal cages onto trucks to move large, high-risk species.
Among the evacuated animals were tigers, jaguars, lions, monkeys, exotic birds, antelopes and elephants. Not all could be transported in the same way: some required sedation, others had to travel in reinforced structures and several needed veterinary supervision during the journey.
destiny was Mazatlanwhere those responsible for Ostok looked for a safer area to continue caring for the specimens. The move was described by Mexican media as one of the largest animal transfers recorded in the country due to violence.
Why the sanctuary decided to close in Culiacán
The decision was not made just out of caution. According to reports from AP and El País, the violence had already directly affected the operation of the sanctuary. Workers faced risks to reach the site, veterinarians avoided going out of fear, and routes to deliver food or medical care became increasingly unsafe.
The situation worsened when some animals began to suffer the consequences of lack of attention or stress caused by the violent environment.
The founder of the sanctuary, Ernesto Zazueta, president of the Association of Zoos, Hatcheries and Aquariums of Mexico, explained that There were no longer conditions to operate safely in Culiacán. He also reported that insecurity had exceeded the shelter’s capacity to protect both its staff and the animals.
Animals rescued from circuses, abandonment and seizures
The Ostok case also puts another problem under the microscope: the presence of wild and exotic fauna in private hands or in contexts linked to organized crime.
In Mexico, big cats, monkeys, birds and other species have appeared in searches, private properties, ranches or illegal collections. When authorities rescue these animals, they often need to send them to shelters or management units that have the capacity to receive them.
The Federal Environmental Protection Agency has reported in different operations the rescue of big cats in situations of abuse, abandonment or irregular possession. These cases show the challenge that authorities and rescue centers face: seizing an animal is just the first step; Then you have to guarantee food, space, veterinary care and safety.
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