First transfer of rhesus monkeys & caimans to DR zoo is in its final phase

Some six rhesus monkeys are in the transfer portal. (Wikipedia)

By THE STAR STAFF

Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez announced Sunday that the Puerto Rico Center for Rehabilitation of Native Species and Management of Exotic Species, which is attached to the DNER, is in the final phase of the transfer of rhesus monkeys and caimans, among other species, to the National Zoological Park of the Dominican Republic.

The transfer request was confirmed by an official letter signed by National Zoological Park General Director Dr. Nayib Aude, and received last Thursday, in which he reiterated that “these species will be received and handled in accordance with the established protocols and under the functions that correspond to us as a rescue center.”

The first transfer, paid for by the National Zoo, consists of six rhesus monkeys, two males and four females, as well as two caimans, one of which is male.

“The primary goal of the Puerto Rico Native Species Rehabilitation and Exotic Species Management Center is to find opportunities for these exotic species to live in an optimal environment for their development,” Quiles Pérez said. “Therefore, whenever one of these species is captured, the Center’s staff seeks out spaces that meet all the requirements for the healthy coexistence of these animals. One such place is the National Zoological Park in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.”

“We thank Dr. Aude and his team for this opportunity,” the DNER chief added. “Likewise, I want to highlight the leading role played by the director of our Center, Lieutenant Ángel Atienza of the Ranger Corps, who has always sought to find suitable locations for these species. This process has been carried out with complete transparency and under the strictest regulations regarding the handling of these species.”

Since taking over the department in January, Quiles Pérez has made it one of his priorities to identify facilities and institutions that can serve as a permanent home for the illegal exotic species that are captured every day.

The physical structures that make up the center in Arecibo suffered serious damage when Hurricane Maria struck in September 2017. Rehabilitation work began in August 2024, in accordance with the specifications of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

This year, as part of Gov. Jenniffer González Colón’s public policy to expedite all construction processes associated with federal funds, Quiles Pérez began an expedited process to advance the work on the facility, which is unique in Puerto Rico.