“This situation of captivity is degrading for the animals, it’s not the way to take care of them,” Larreta said Thursday during a press conference.

The ecopark will also serve as a venue “where children can learn how to take care of and relate with the different species,” he continued. “What we have to value is the animals. The way they live here is definitely not the way to do that.”

In recent years, the zoo has attracted criticism for its inadequate conditions, such as its handling of polar bears during the city’s scorching hot summers.

Gerardo Biglia, an animal rights activist who has long pushed for the zoo’s closure, said in a press release, “The most important thing is breaking with the model of captivity and exhibition. I think there is a change coming for which we are already prepared because kids nowadays consider it obvious that it’s wrong for animals to be caged.”

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