Authorities in the Mexican state of Veracruz say they found a number of animals, some of them endangered, in a truck on Tuesday.
Soldiers from Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense were reportedly patrolling the highway between Minatitlan and Agua Dulce when they pulled over a truck in a routine traffic stop. The driver was discovered to be transporting live animals, 478 gallons of gasoline, and 5 gallons of diesel fuel.
Some of the animals found on the truck included pheasants, crocodiles, parrots, turtles, and toucans. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that some of the animals in the truck were listed as endangered species.
Aside from the animals and the fuel, soldiers also found ocelot skin.The ocelot is a wild cat found in both South and Central America, and has even been known to inhabit the southern most parts of Texas. Famed eccentric artist Salvador DalĂ was known to keep an ocelot named Babou as pet, even taking him on cruises.
The truck driver was arrested and the animals and fuel were turned over to federal officials.
