Interesting Experience Going To Temaiken Zoo

[Sridhar7]

Zoo is well maintained but we were tad disappointed that there were not as many animals or birds as we had expected considering the area. Having said that, its a good place for family outing with decent size aquarium, shows and restaurant options. <br/>We had an interesting experience going to Temaiken zoo from Belgrano as we do not know castellano. We started early to catch line 60 bus from Plaza Italia but when we reached there, someone guided us to better option of taking line 194 bus as that seemingly drops in front of the Zoo. Another gentleman advised us to purchase a new Subte (subway/bus card) before boarding the bus and took pains in explaining where to get a new one (Its not available at the station and is available in some lottery and other convenience stores). We tried searching for a shop to buy one and asked few folks but unfortunately could not locate the place. So disappointed we returned back and brought the new subte card the next day in Belgrano. We again planned on going on a Sunday and started early to reach Plaza Italia by 8:30 AM. There was no sign of 194 bus but could see at least 3 line 60 buses waiting, so asked the driver of the first bus. Driver was very patient and explained us that we can take line 60 bus and walk ~7 blocks to go to Temaiken zoo. We boarded the empty bus, costing $20 Pesos/person. Driver was very courteous and volunteered to take our picture. Ride to Temaiken was ~70 minutes on Sunday morning and I was tracking the trip on my google map. Moreover driver signaled us where to get off and there were couple of more families who got off with us. By intuition we decided to follow the families and we crossed couple of low barricades to cross over couple of freeways. It was a ~20 minutes walk to the zoo, which was not bad considering the weather was good. We took the pase anual costing us $400 pesos/adult person as we had decided to come more than once. One time ticket was $210 pesos/adult so a no brainer. As I shared earlier, its a well maintained zoo and even though it was Sunday, not overly crowded. We had a good time and decided to leave early in evening as we have to walk back. So started around 4:30 PM and walked back for line 60 bus stop instead of waiting for line 194 bus whose frequency seemed less.
Shared some pictures in my blog http://sridharpeddis...bel/TemaikenZoo

 

[sergio]

I think the idea is to focus on animals mostly indigenous to the region. Despite this, the park is impeccably maintained and really a pleasure to tour. It's a lot easier if you take the bus that drops you off at the door of the park.

 

[Matiasba]

I find zoos in general very sad.

 

[Markgeezer]

Zoo is well maintained but we were tad disappointed that there were not as many animals or birds as we had expected considering the area.

That's the whole point... so that the animals don't look like they are in a prison.
Otherwise you can just visit any regular zoo if you wanted to see the animals crammed in cages.

If you are really keen they have a Killer Whale in a bath tub down at San Clemente.... people take great joy showing that to their kids and then putting a sticker on their car !!!

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Zoo is well maintained but we were tad disappointed that there were not as many animals or birds as we had expected considering the area. Having said that, its a good place for family outing with decent size aquarium, shows and restaurant options. <br/>We had an interesting experience going to Temaiken zoo from Belgrano as we do not know castellano. We started early to catch line 60 bus from Plaza Italia but when we reached there, someone guided us to better option of taking line 194 bus as that seemingly drops in front of the Zoo. Another gentleman advised us to purchase a new Subte (subway/bus card) before boarding the bus and took pains in explaining where to get a new one (Its not available at the station and is available in some lottery and other convenience stores). We tried searching for a shop to buy one and asked few folks but unfortunately could not locate the place. So disappointed we returned back and brought the new subte card the next day in Belgrano. We again planned on going on a Sunday and started early to reach Plaza Italia by 8:30 AM. There was no sign of 194 bus but could see at least 3 line 60 buses waiting, so asked the driver of the first bus. Driver was very patient and explained us that we can take line 60 bus and walk ~7 blocks to go to Temaiken zoo. We boarded the empty bus, costing $20 Pesos/person. Driver was very courteous and volunteered to take our picture. Ride to Temaiken was ~70 minutes on Sunday morning and I was tracking the trip on my google map. Moreover driver signaled us where to get off and there were couple of more families who got off with us. By intuition we decided to follow the families and we crossed couple of low barricades to cross over couple of freeways. It was a ~20 minutes walk to the zoo, which was not bad considering the weather was good. We took the pase anual costing us $400 pesos/adult person as we had decided to come more than once. One time ticket was $210 pesos/adult so a no brainer. As I shared earlier, its a well maintained zoo and even though it was Sunday, not overly crowded. We had a good time and decided to leave early in evening as we have to walk back. So started around 4:30 PM and walked back for line 60 bus stop instead of waiting for line 194 bus whose frequency seemed less.
Shared some pictures in my blog http://sridharpeddis...bel/TemaikenZoo

Actually, you make it sound rather uninteresting.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

I find zoos in general very sad.

There are exceptions. The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park offer lots of space for the beasts to roam.

 

[Matt84]

Except for petting zoos which feature animals that do not terribly mind human care (with limits, I saw llamas being tortured with noise at diagonal norte during the May Festivities), all other kind of wild life watching should be done with the human constrained and the animal free: like swimming inside a cage with the sharks outside the cage. Instead of having Sea World there should be infrastructure (fully paved roads and motels for instance) and less expensive kayak tours to watch whales in the wild in Patagonia.
In Europe the government is trying to re-introduce the decimated wolf population and you can look and pet wolves and puppies at these nurseries which are located inside wilderness parks where the wolves are free to reconquer their territory.
And let's remember that before becoming theme parks zoos used to be places of scientific study, which have absolutely moved to the wild, so we as theme park goes should do the same. Accepting the limitations and not falling into this:

 

[sergio]

My impression is that Pérez Companc, the company that owns the park, is responsible and very community-oriented. The park is dedicated to education, enjoyed by thousands of school children every year. I don't find it "sad" in any way. Some years ago I knew a veterinarian who worked at this park. He told me that Temaiken was the only zoo in Latin America recognized by an important American zoological association (he explained that this organization maintained the highest standards in the world). Not sure if this is still true but the last time I went to Temaiken, about eighteen months ago, everything seemed as good as ever. Try to avoid holidays and weekends, however.

 

[Matiasba]

you dont find sad three tigers in a 40 square meters cage? or huge eagels that can not fly high? or hippos or polar bears in a small pool? I can continue ad infinitum, eh!

 

[jp]

In Europe the government is trying to re-introduce the decimated wolf population and you can look and pet wolves and puppies at these nurseries which are located inside wilderness parks where the wolves are free to reconquer their territory.

I wrote a paper on this as an undergrad. They reintroduced wolves across areas in the US, which had been wiped out by early human populations who considered them a threat and a nuisance. So they brought back the wolves, and felt warm and fuzzy about it. The wolves reconquered their territory and hunted their quarry. Unfortunately this included beavers, whose population had grown over the years in the absence of their natural predator. The beaver population grew and eventually stabilised based on available resources. Once the wolves were reintroduced their populations declined. The lack of beavers changed the direction of the rivers, which affected the water table. Not a problem for the wolves, but problematic for the long established human settlements which relied on the water table staying put. Nature is a complicated and unpredictable system.

Not a big fan of zoos in general. There are a few that "feel" like nice places for animals to live. But then I'm not an animal, and I don't know what quality of life feels like for a hippo or a polar bear. I'm pretty sure polar bears aren't ecstatic about living in a small plastic habitats in 40 degree heat. But equally I cant imagine watching my young die because my milk has failed, my claws and teeth are blunted and, I'm unable to hunt and am facing a slow death via starvation. I'd also rather not think too much about lethal parasitic infections, or being eaten alive, or any number of gruesome fates that await living things in the state of nature. An eagle soaring through the skies sounds magnificent, but the eagle might consider an abundant supply of nutrients and a life free from suffering magnificent.