A baby jaguar that was being rented out for selfies in a shopping centre has been rescued after worried locals reported the case to police.
The three-month-old female cub was apparently also being offered up for sale by its unnamed owner in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca, in the Mexican state of Chiapas, where it is legal to sell exotic pets as long as they are not taken from the wild.
The three-month-old jaguar cub seized by authorities in Oaxaca, Mexico. Photo: PROFEPA/Newsflash/NX
An inspection carried out by officials after citizens' complaints, however, revealed that the cub had a microchip registering it as a wild specimen, and it had fake documents stating otherwise.
The PROFEPA (National Prosecutor's Office) rescued the cub after inspecting the venue on 24th March and finding 20 more animals, some of them protected species.
The three-month-old jaguar cub seized by authorities in Oaxaca, Mexico. Photo: PROFEPA/Newsflash/NX
PROFEPA said in a statement: "Today, PROFEPA personnel in Oaxaca seized a female spotted jaguar cub that had initially been seen at a facility in that city.
"Inspectors inspected the keeper, who presented an invoice to prove the legal origin of the animal.
"However, the feline's marking does not match the information on the invoice, so the Attorney General's Office ordered the precautionary seizure of the specimen."
The three-month-old jaguar cub seized by authorities in Oaxaca, Mexico. Photo: PROFEPA/Newsflash/NX
The suspect is now facing charges of illegal possession of wildlife.
There have been no updates on the little feline's health status, although photos taken after it was rescued appear to show it was quite distressed albeit well-fed.