The police have rescued dozens of animals from a “clandestine zoo”.
Monkeys, macaws, capybaras, and deer were found caged on the open-air property.
The authorities said they were living in squalid conditions.
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They first received a report about the alleged illegal zoo in April last year, as reported by Need To Know.
Without knowing the exact location, investigators carried out field work and data analysis before identifying a ranch that was known for offering public picnics and a petting zoo with livestock.
The police then raided the ranch in the town of Carlos Keen just outside the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
Alongside the farm animals, officers found a white-tufted marmoset, three macaws, a capybara, two chital deer, and two rheas.
The nine exotic animals, all protected under conservation laws, were all found living in poor conditions with severe health issues, according to the Environmental Crimes Department of the Argentine Federal Police.
They were rescued and sent to an animal shelter for veterinary checks yesterday (25 May).
The authorities also determined that the ranch was not licensed to operate as a zoo and the owner did not have the required permits for the protected species found at the scene.
The unnamed ranch owner now faces charges of violating the country’s Wildlife Conservation Law.
The police investigation is ongoing.
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