The Guardia Civil in the province of Zamora is looking for the perpetrator who is killing animals with poison. So far, 22 dead specimens have been found, 5 birds and a lifeless dog. Officers are investigating signs of poison.
The mystery of the dead animals preoccupies Zamora. On February 22, a number of dead animals were reported in Asturianos, a municipality in the northwest of the province. To be exact, twenty-two deer, a dog and five kites were found dead.
The case is in the hands of the Guardia Civil in Zamora. However, there are no suspects yet, and there is no clear motive as to why the animals were killed. This type of crime falls under Article 366 of the Criminal Code and carries penalties of up to two years in prison, which can vary depending on the seriousness of the offences.
Seprona officers looking for link between dead animals
Officers of Seprona – the environmental police of the Guardia Civil – launched an investigation the day after the first discovery in this part of the Puebla de Sanabria region. It all happened on a mountain in Entrepeñas. The place is located next to a grazing area for cattle. The officers are investigating a possible poisoning and are following the trail of possible perpetrators. Moreover, they are looking for clues that could link all of these deaths together and confirm that the case is being prosecuted.
Seprona particularly emphasizes the danger of killing a red kite, which is already maximally endangered. The population has declined sharply in recent years, precisely because of poison. There are people who use pesticides and highly toxic substances to kill the birds. The European Union prohibits this.
Birds also killed by poison in Extremadura
A similar investigation was launched in Extremadura in September last year after two carcasses of red kites were found that had eaten rat poison. The inspectorate pointed to a resident of Azuaga, in Cáceres, after the Guardia Civil investigated several agricultural and livestock companies. So far, no further details are known about this latest case, nor has a clear suspect been revealed, but the officers stress that they will carefully follow any trail that could lead them to the solution of the case.
