The police have saved 47 animals from an illegal private zoo on a huge estate and arrested eight people.

Twenty-five of the animals are said to be from rare and exotic species, including an African lion, a white lion, two pumas, a Bengal tiger, deer, a grey fox, a coyote, eagles, and an owl, among others.

The authorities also said that in the same operation they had seized over 14,000 litres of illegally extracted fuel in Huixquilucan, in the Mexican state of Mexico, with the prosecutor’s office saying in a statement on Thursday, 6th April: “Agents of the prosecutor’s office, in coordination with federal and state institutions, rescued 47 animals, 25 of them exotic.

“In addition, clandestine hydrocarbon intakes were found and various vehicles were seized.

“These actions were carried out during a search of a property located in the Santiago Yancuitlalpan neighbourhood, in the municipality of Huixquilucan, apparently identified as an address used to commit criminal activities.”

Eight people were reportedly arrested in the raid, with the property now under judicial control until the animals can be found a new home. The authorities also reportedly found a number of dead animals that had been stuffed by a taxidermist.

It is thought that the private zoo was being run with proceeds from the illegally drilled diesel fuel, according to local media.

Local media also quoted the prosecutor’s office as saying that a potential water drilling system was also found by investigators.

Neither the authorities nor local media said who the property belonged to.

The investigation is ongoing.