Animals Flee as Cartel Violence Forces Sinaloa Sanctuary to Evacuate

In Culiacán, Sinaloa, where cartel gunfire echoes louder than law, even the wildest creatures aren’t spared. The Ostok Sanctuary, home to over 700 animals—tigers, elephants, lions, and monkeys—faced a grim exodus this week. Cartel violence drove the sanctuary to evacuate after months of threats, gunfire, and a total collapse of order.

These animals, some once kept as exotic pets by drug lords, endured days without food. Stress led to fur loss, and two big cats didn’t survive. The sanctuary, near the Chapitos’ stronghold of Jesús María, became a target in the Sinaloa Cartel’s turf war, sparked when El Chapo’s son betrayed a rival to U.S. authorities. Now, rival factions extort, kidnap, and rob to fuel their conflict, leaving civilians and wildlife caught in the crossfire.

"We’ve never seen violence this extreme," said Ernesto Zazueta, the sanctuary’s director. Staff faced threats to burn the refuge and kill its animals unless payments were made. One tiger, once chained in a plaza during a shootout, bore witness to the chaos. Rumors swirl that cartel bosses feed enemies to their pet lions—a chilling reflection of the city’s descent.

With no government aid, the sanctuary’s breaking point came when Bireki, an elephant, injured her foot. No vet dared enter cartel territory to help. "What are we doing here?" Zazueta asked. The answer: flee. Sedated animals were loaded onto trucks waving white flags, rolling past cartel lookouts to Mazatlán. The move took months of planning, with workers whispering to calm traumatized tigers and elephants.

For now, Mazatlán offers hope. But as cartel violence spreads, the sanctuary staff brace for what might follow. In a land where power lies with drug lords, safety remains a fleeting dream—for man and beast alike.