The animals were restless throughout Saturday’s music, the center’s veterinarian told the news, but the worst happened the next day when gazelles crashed into walls, severing their legs and necks.
During the Saturday night performance, Dr. Sonia Domínguez of Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA) was interacting with the animals. Her group had already requested that the festival be moved to a new location from the authorities.
However, Almería Cultura, the town’s cultural center, defended its choice to proceed with the event, claiming that performances on the center’s outer wall “did not exceed 65 dB” in a statement on X.
The veterinarian at the conservation center stated, “We can measure decibels, but that’s not the primary part. Animals are more sensitive to sound and vibration than humans are.
“It’s not just about decibel levels,” Dr. Domínguez continued.
Local officials expressed their regret for the fatalities, but claimed the center had drawn extremely “hurried” conclusions when other mitigating circumstances needed to be taken into account.
Since this is the animals’ reproductive season, Dr. Domínguez explained that the animals are more vulnerable at this time of year.
She went on to say that because gazelles are prey in their natural environments, running away from what frightens them is how they cope. She said that some of the animals suffered “traumatic injuries” as a result of doing this.
