La Paz, July 15 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Farmers in southeast Bolivia rescued two Andean condors, after the endangered South American birds were poisoned by scavenging a dog that had also been poisoned, Diario Libre reported on Tuesday.

According to an activist who helped save the birds, farmers found the poisoned condors on Sunday in a rural area and took them to a veterinarian in capital city of Sucre. “They managed to stabilize (the condors) after almost five hours of hard work ... they were convulsing, had symptoms of a very bad infection, they were fainting,” said activist Ricardo Rivera, who assisted in saving the two birds.

The rescued condors remain under medical supervision as they continue to recover. Rivera said he intended to inform the biodiversity department of the country's Ministry of Environment and Water of the incident, and urge that it be investigated as a form of “biocide” crime.

Biocide is newly considered a criminal offense in Bolivia, which can hold punishment of up to five years in prison for killing an animal, or more for multiple animals.

Rivera suggested whoever poisoned the dogs, and indirectly poisoned the condors, could be found guilty of biocide if prosecutors investigate the case.