An Entertainment Abuses Article used with permission from All-Creatures.org

Michael Angelo Torres discusses Buenos Aires’ EcoParque and the example it can set for zoos looking to shift their focus away from exploitation and towards the well-being of non-human animals.

From Cages to Community: What San Francisco Can Learn from Buenos Aires’ EcoParque
From Michael Angelo Torres, IDA In Defense of Animals, idausa.org
May 2026

Photo Credit: In Defense of Animals

What if the future of zoos isn’t about treating animals as sources of revenue and finding new ways to attract visitors to aging exhibits, but instead, having the courage to envision something entirely different?

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, city officials confronted a difficult truth that is often easily ignored: their historic zoo no longer reflected changing values around animal well-being. The former Buenos Aires Zoo, which operated for more than a century, drew increasing criticism for outdated facilities and inadequate conditions for many species, including elephants kept in spaces far too small to support their physical and behavioral needs.

In 2016, the city made a remarkable decision: close the traditional zoo and begin transforming it into EcoParque, a conservation-focused space that supports native wildlife and promotes rescue and sanctuary.

When EcoParque opened in 2018, it challenged assumptions about what a zoo could be. Located in the heart of one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas, EcoParque somehow feels impossibly far away from the noise and urban activity surrounding it. Visitors wander shaded pathways past restored historic buildings and open green spaces. Native birds appear overhead. Lizards dart across the landscape. Capybaras casually roam the grounds — and few things compare to the joy of watching one enthusiastically devour an entire head of lettuce – it’s an almost absurd level of cuteness.

The animals are no longer there simply to be viewed. Instead, the experience is rooted in respect, coexistence, and reconnecting people with the natural world.

Photo Credit: In Defense of Animals

Today, EcoParque has evolved into a public destination centered on conservation, environmental education, rehabilitation, recreation, and civic life. Cultural programming and gathering spaces have replaced the outdated formula of displaying suffering animals in confinement for entertainment. Thousands of people visit each week, proving that public interest does not disappear when a city chooses to evolve.

That should sound incredibly appealing to San Francisco.

The recent audit of the San Francisco Zoo raised serious questions about governance, attendance, finances, and long-term sustainability. Yet one question remains unanswered: what is the plan for the future?

If attendance is struggling and revenue remains uncertain, continuing with the same approach is not a strategy.

Buenos Aires demonstrates another possibility.

Photo Credit: In Defense of Animals

Rather than continuing to prop up a failing traditional zoo model marked by a history of animal suffering, financial instability, and declining attendance, San Francisco should embrace the opportunity to create something entirely new. We can imagine a transformed space centered on conservation, sanctuary, and rescue partnerships, environmental learning, cultural programming, and meaningful public engagement.

EcoParque reminds us that moving beyond the traditional zoo is not the end of connecting people with animals. It’s an opportunity to build something better, for animals and for the communities that care about them.

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: June 1, 2026
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