A capybara was left in critical condition after an episode of animal abuse in which it was beaten and assaulted by maintenance workers in a gated community in Canning, according to local residents.
Footage recorded by residents shows how three men chased the capybara near the lagoon surrounding the urbanization.
The attackers hit the wild animal with a metal rod for several minutes, according to the media outlet El Litoral.
Subsequently, they attempted to strangle it with a rope to load it onto a truck.
Residents who witnessed the incident expressed their concern: “It will leave on its own… They are going to kill it”, can be heard in the videos.
Another witness reported the inaction: “Security does nothing. They are all on the same team… they are hurting an innocent animal“.
Animal abuse: what happened to the capybara
A neighbor recounted hearing “the cries of pain of an animal” and ran to the scene with his dog.
“We saw three people on one of the lots adjoining my house at the back, while they attacked the capybara with a very large and heavy metal rod,” detailed the witness.
The attackers were identified as maintenance staff who regularly work in the gated community.
“They hit it on the back, many times on the head, on its face, on the neck”, described a neighbor.
Additionally, various witnesses present saw how the aggressors filmed the animal abuse attack on the capybara.
“They didn’t care because they wanted to kill it and load it onto a truck they had,” added the same woman.
The witnesses believe that “possibly they wanted to take it to eat it”, according to their statements.
How the injured capybara is doing
The workers from Animal Protection and Welfare of Ezeiza who participated in the rescue detailed the animal’s condition.
The capybara, approximately two years old, was found in shock after the attack.
The injuries included a head contusion and a cut wound of at least 10 centimeters.
It also had a cerebral hematoma and nasal bleeding, according to the initial veterinary report.
The medical evaluation indicated little hope of survival in the first hours after the discovery.
However, now its clinical condition is “stable” after five days of hospitalization and continuous care.
Thus, against initial forecasts and despite the animal abuse, the capybara showed a favorable recovery after intensive treatment.
Once the first stage of rehabilitation was completed, it was transferred to the Wildlife Conservation Station (ECAS).
The conservation center has professionals specialized in wildlife to continue its recovery.
The animal remains in a controlled and safe environment within the ECAS until its recovery is complete.
Measures against those responsible for animal abuse
The administration of the community confirmed that it will take the “appropriate measures” against those involved in the attack.
“In the videos, you can see that the person is a worker from some lot and, regarding the gardeners, we will take the appropriate measures“, stated Bernal.
The gardeners belong to a third-party company that has already been notified of the incident. Meanwhile, the worker will be permanently banned from entering the gated community.
“We will file the respective criminal complaint. We provided all the data to the municipality,” confirmed the administrator.
The wildlife in urban developments generates recurring conflicts when there is no adequate coexistence protocol.
The community authorities are considering filing a complaint independently due to the severity of the animal abuse.
The Municipality of Ezeiza reported that the priority is the health of the attacked capybara.
