The group of protectionists from La Plata formed by the NGO “Legal Protection of Animals” demanded the transfer of hundreds of specimens of different species that “resist” in the Bioparque (former zoo) of La Plata and that are in conditions of be relocated to places more conducive to their survival after several years of captivity. As they denounced, “the transfers were interrupted more than four years ago.”
As detailed by the organization, in the Forest property “more than 130 flamingos between males and females are without destiny; 37 axis deer between males and females, some pregnant others with young, continue to reproduce without control; and different species of monkeys are exposed in cages”.
And they added that “today the chimpanzee Tomy, already very old, is still observed behind the glass and grating that contains it; the hippopotamus Hipólito is alone in a double enclosure that must be permanently conditioned; two pumas (mother and daughter ) are still in the pit, its historic enclosure and the only image that they can see, the high cement walls that contain them; as well as the jaguar Luna, condors, peccaries, honey bears and hundreds of other animals that are housed” in the Biopark.
The activists argued their claim “in the unfortunate events that have taken place in recent years in the Biopark, from animals killed by a pack of dogs, repeated theft of titi monkeys, invasion of strangers to the place for theft or damage as the last case where a specimen of peccary was injured in daylight and without control”.
For the protectionists, “the property never stopped housing animals” and “security measures are not being met, such as the installation of monitoring cameras connected to the municipal operations center and more security personnel for the almost 18 hectares that the farm occupies. former Zoo”.
Within this framework, representatives of the NGO held a meeting with the director of the Biopark and with officials from different areas of responsibility of La Plata.
As they remarked, “the authority of the property reported that they had already completed the repairs in enclosures that were required by the Fauna Directorate of the Province of Buenos Aires and are awaiting another Inspection that yields the authorization to reopen the property to visitors”.
Although the protectionists stated that they did not agree with the current Municipal Ordinance, sanctioned in 2017, where leaders from all political sectors of the Deliberative Council “voted to continue with the captivity, confinement and reproduction of native species”, they requested “that the with the transfer of all those animals that are able to leave the former zoo, whose transfers were interrupted more than four years ago”.
As they slipped, from Green Spaces “it was indicated that the lights have already been improved and the cameras connected to the fiber optic cabling and in the coming days they will be monitored by the municipality while admitting the few human resources deployed in the security of the former zoo , which must be reinforced as soon as possible by the security area of the Municipality, while the feeding of the animals is guaranteed”.
Likewise, Public Spaces “did not rule out the possibility that all animals that are in a position to do so, whether native or exotic, leave the Biopark and if necessary reform the ordinance.”
The protectionists remarked “the importance that the Provincial Fauna Department activate with the permits, understand that the slowness of its actions greatly harms the animals, which continue to be locked up and reproduce, as well as others losing the opportunity to leave the place , the extension of the property and the number of enclosures that have been left empty, also allows this to be a reception center for animals for their recovery and subsequent release, a situation that is prevented by Fauna de la Provincia”.
The NGO acknowledged that “after the death of the elephant Pelusa, more than 100 animals were transferred,” but stressed that “then everything stopped.” “The transfer of the hippopotamus Hipólito to South Africa was promoted, but that did not happen,” they stated.
And they stated that “from the commune they say that the intention is to continue with the transfers, but the will must be translated into real events. They only say that Provincial Fauna does not authorize the property or the exit of the animals. Fauna does not attend and does not give answers. They feel that they don’t have to answer to us. They say that they are in the inspection stage, but that has to do with the arrangement of the enclosures that house animals.
In this regard, they slipped that “Fauna has been with the inspections for two years, but they also have to enable the animals to leave so that they do not die, get sick or reproduce, as is the case with the axis. This happens because they do not enable another enclosure that makes it possible to separate the males. Due to the lack of authorization, they continue to reproduce”. “People had no idea these animals are here,” they said.
