Fifteen years ago, when I entered the world of non-human primates, I began to criticize the zoos, which until that time I had in high esteem. Private persons, circuses and commercial breeders used to make partnerships with public, the majority, and private zoos in Brazil. These partnerships led to delivery to zoos, or they sending to another place, adult chimpanzees for reproduction on lending, as if they were objects. The babies who were born from these unions were divided between the owners of each parent.

It was common to see chimpanzees’ mothers who lost their babies, a few weeks or even days after birth, and these were given to humans, who created the orphans and then trade them with other institutions and individuals.

There was an intense especially collusion between circuses and zoos. As we were rescuing our chimpanzees to sanctuaries affiliated to GAP Project in Brazil, we were discovering the history of each one. Today we have many of these orphans with us, and their mothers and fathers are also with us, however, unaware of their sons and daughters.

This widespread practice in Brazil, and also in the world, just ended here because of our constant work of denunciation. But it continues in many countries, where zoos are business desks. Recently, a zoo in England sent several gorillas to Belo Horizonte zoo, in Brazil, for them to reproduce, involving large sums of funds embezzled by the Brazilian public institution, with shady purposes.

Now the news comes from Argentina. Giraffes are animals that zoos chase hard to get into their collections, since children, due to electronic marketing, have popularized extraordinarily.

Private zoo of Bubalcó, in Río Negro Province, Southern Argentina – already famous for keeping chimpanzee Toti kind of kidnapped after being exchanged with Cordoba zoo (Toti has the possibility of being released through a Habeas Corpus filed by the representative of GAP Project in the country) – negotiated with Santiago zoo the exchanging a newborn giraffe in Buenos Aires, which was owned by the zoo, since the father was in lending for reproduction at Buenos Aires zoo.

A series of contracts, as they were also made ​​in Brazil years ago, were signed between the Argentine and Chilean zoos. In these contracts appear the values ​​of each animal, in dollars, so that the exchange can be clearly evaluated. The two white tigers, animals that Bubalcó zoo is dedicated to reproduce to exchange for other animals, knowing the interest of zoos in this unusual species, had assigned a value that corresponds to the value of the little giraffe named Lara, 1 year-old, who lived with her mother in Buenos Aires.

Due to Bubalcó zoo insistence and total irresponsibility of separating a baby giraffe from her mother, which Buenos Aires zoo did not agree, because of the risks implicit in the shuttle in a very cold climate, with often intense winds, Lara was sent to Rio Negro; and a few hours after her arrival – inexplicably, according to technicians of Bubalcó – appeared dead.

The owner of Bubalcó zoo is a rich person, who dominates many interests and businesses in its area of ​​influence; he had already been a Minister and now is dedicated to collecting wild animals in a ignored zoo, with negligible public visitation.

For those who are familiar with this “movie”, it is common to see economically powerful people doing this; Saddam Hussein had his zoo, as well as Pablo Escobar and Michael Jackson. We can expect anything from human beings, who considers themselves the most powerful. But society must fight for these injustices are not committed against innocent beings, which are traded as a commodity just for a few people pleasure.

This is one more reason to end with zoos as public entertainment facilities, close them to visitors and convert them into Rescue Centers that will contribute positively to all animals of the planet, which belongs to all species.

Dr. Pedro  A. Ynterian

President, GAP Project International