Buenos Aires Zoo

No matter if they grew up in the city or just paid a visit to it, there are very few kids who have missed a tour around the Buenos Aires Zoo. For those who have known it for years, any excuse is good to discover its magic again. Children always find something new to see.

Just like many other people, we had visited the zoo in the past. Many more times, we got past its front gate at Italia Square. This time, we resolved to make a stop and entered this land of childhood. Going through the ticket office is a journey back in time to a place where there is no noise and everything is quiet, green and open: a whole new world.

It seems as if the sun was shining in a different way inside the zoo. As we got in, we spotted some flamingos posing in the water. The fountain would splash around lightly. The buildings would barely appear among the trees. The groups of kindergarten children would walk about in a single file behind their teachers. Two couples of foreign tourists, one of them with three children were posing for a photograph in front of Lake Darwin. Everything here has been built to be remembered.

The zoo space is so well designed that we could almost forget about the animals and enjoy a beautiful park: the artificial lakes, the promenades, the bridges, the plants, the buildings featuring different styles. There is a timeless atmosphere in this corner of town. But, of course, it was the animals that we wanted to see.

The first thing that caught our attention as we walked about the zoo paths was that there were some animals walking free on the grass, right in front of us. They dwell in the entire venue. They include ducks, Patagonian hares and various kinds of birds. Used to the presence of visitors, they live their lives undisturbed, except when somebody offers them some food.

Most animals, however, live in spaces specially designed for them: sites with water, with shady trees, games, logs, bars. It may seem sad to see wild species confined to a small space, but this is part of these creatures’ reality. Many of them are endangered in the wild due to the action of man. Science takes care of them. The zoo’s aim is to preserve them and in turn let visitors discover the wonders of nature.

Wherever we went, there was someone taking a picture. Everyone wants to keep a memory from these incredible animals: from the polar bear to the coati, from the condor to the hyena, from the pygmy hippopotamus to the giraffe, the chimpanzee and the antelope, the bison and the maned wolf.

But not all the animals are outdoors. The zoo also features indoor spaces where other species live. During our tour, we visited the reptile house, the aquarium and the subtropical rainforest. The park also has two carrousels and a playground for small children.

There is so much to see at the zoo that one visit is not enough. Whether we come back after a few days or a few years, we will always find something new ready to be discovered.