At least two stuffed quirquinchos, the wild animals used to perform the “good luck” and “cleaning” rituals to receive the New Year, were seized in Arequipa by the National Forest and Wildlife Service (Serfor).
These animals were used by merchants from the Altiplano at the Melgar stadium fair. Since 2018 they add to 30 the quirquinchos seized in Arequipa, of which 20 were dissected and 11 alive.
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It is necessary to remember that the quirquincho is native to the high Andean areas of Peru in Puno, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. At least in Peru it was categorized in Danger of extinctionso you are its capture, death or commercialization is prohibited.
According to Serfor, the animal is mistreated during its capture and is then kept in captivity in buckets or cardboard boxes. To this is added the bad nutritionfor what they consider animal abuse.
