Their snouts were the first to warn that the freedom was finally near. After a lifetime of imprisonment, Philip and a Giant, two buffalo of India that had remained for many years at the zoo of Yastay of La Rioja in Argentina, they had reached their final destination.
That day, early in the morning, had mounted a special device with vehicle adapted to the needs of animals and to its transfer to Between Rivers to the shrine Tekove Mymba, which in guaraní means and animal life that was enabled on a Rescue Center for Wild Fauna and Flora in the town of San Anselmo, Colón department, with the intention of rescuing, sheltering and rehabilitating wildlife species.
Already in the truck that would take them to their new premises, Philip and the Giant started to get anxious when you felt the smell of the fresh grass. And as soon as you opened the door that separated the precious freedom and their tired feet touched the grass, came to a show that left everyone astonished.
“As you set foot in the land began to run and wallow. Olfateaban the entire area and they seemed happy,” she says with a smile Juan Manuel Paccot, the biologist who is behind the foundation of the project that began in 2015 and in 2019, obtained the status of a Foundation. “There, in a campus of more than 40 acres of natural grassland and lagoons, now enjoy a semi-freedom, and so shall it be until the end of his life. Its evolution is very good and it is noticeable the improvement of their physical integrity,” adds the expert.
The release was the finishing touch to a number of years working for the welfare of the buffalo and culminated with the signing of an agreement with the Municipality of La Rioja, through which it managed the transfer of the animals.
During their first years of life, Philip had remained in the reserve Tatú Carreta of the province of Córdoba until later was housed at the zoo of La Rioja. For its part, Giant, which has a horn broken and it is a male adult, came from a circus and was also received by the zoo in question when they banned the show with animals in circuses. And there, every one by his side, in tight spaces and cement spent their days until they were able to get the freedom.
Although the two buffalo had been almost all their life together, just when they arrived at the sanctuary Tekove Mymba (@tekovemymba) began to show signs of friendship between them. The buffalo it is a large bovid originating in southeast asia. Currently he can be seen in both wild and domestic, and it is not rare to find two males that share both time and space together.
“Do not separate from never. They spend their days walking, eating, and bathing in the lagoon. We try to make contact with humans is the minimum possible as part of our routine and work with them is to get closer to observe and to check that your health is in the best conditions. We want you to have a life as smooth as possible, away from people and in freedom, as it always should have been.”
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