Mendoza Zoological Park, Provincial zoo at Cerro de la Gloria, Mendoza, Argentina.
The Ecoparque of Mendoza, formerly the Mendoza Zoological Park, occupies 48 hectares on the northeast slope of Cerro de la Gloria and is part of General San Martín Park. Its only entrance is on Avenida Libertador. Architect Daniel Ramos Correa designed semi-open enclosures with stone walls and level changes following the hill's curve, though cages were built for dangerous animals.
The zoo was founded in 1903 by landscape architect Carlos Thays at a different location in the city. It was later moved to the current hillside site and reopened in 1941.
The site became an Ecoparque after the provincial government closed the zoo in early 2016. Under director Mariana Caram, animals were relocated through a Responsible Adoption Programme: by February 2020, 703 farm animals such as sheep, goats and ponies had been placed on approved land, alongside 113 native and exotic animals sent to specialised sanctuaries.
The zoo closed in early 2016 for conversion into the Ecoparque; as of 2019 it was closed, so check the Government of Mendoza website before planning a visit. The single entrance is on Avenida Libertador, and the site covers 48 hectares on the northeast slope of Cerro de la Gloria. The terrain is hilly, with 6.5 km of paths laid out in 1941.
On 3 November 2016, Judge María Alejandra Mauricio of Mendoza ruled that Cecilia, a chimpanzee held alone at the zoo, was a legal person and ordered her transfer to a great-ape shelter. It was the first such ruling for an animal, and biologists, philosophers and judges worldwide followed the case.
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