Barcelona City Council has approved a new law, prohibiting the breeding of animal species which cannot be released into the wild. The move hails a new era for Barcelona Zoo, which has been open for more than a century.
Hippopotamus in Barcelona Zoo. Image by Luis Castaneda Inc./Getty Images
Because of this new law, many of the zoo’s current 2000 animals will be transferred to nature reserves, or cared for until their death.
Rather than deciding to close or reduce in size however, Barcelona Zoo has come up with a new model, which the city council has approved. A global investment of €64.6 million has been earmarked for the project, which will take place in various stages between 2019 and 2031.
Animal welfare will be the priority under the new regime. Image by Sergi Ferrari / EyeEm/Getty Images
The new model will reinforce the zoo’s commitment to the preservation of the planet and nature conservation, and will strengthen its partnerships with universities and scientific institutions. The move will turn Barcelona Zoo into the first ‘animalist’ zoo in Europe, putting the welfare of animals and education at its forefront.
“This will allow us to display a zoo that we can all feel proud of, and which residents will enjoy for many years,” said deputy mayor Janet Sanz.
Komodo dragons will benefit from the new era at the zoo. Image by A.Vallecillos/Getty Images
The zoo will focus on research to help the conservation of native Mediterranean fauna, and threatened or endangered species, with an emphasis on primates, and animals from the North African and Saharan regions. Several new interpretation centres will also be created – one for animals of the Sahel region, one for komodo dragons, one for creatures of the Mediterranean, and one for orangutans.
There will also be several new spaces created – the biome of the Mediterranean, a marine biodiversity centre, a butterfly garden, an invertebrate pavilion and a Madagascar biome. The first part of the projects will be underway this year. The incorporation of the lions into the Sahel region will be complete by June and the inauguration of the komodo dragon interpretation centre will be complete by September.
The historic zoo is changing with the times. Image by Sebastiaan Kroes/Getty Images
The new vision for the zoo also looks at sustainability, through awareness and healthy eating. There will be improvements into the management of water and waste, as well as the role of the zoo in the conservation of the local wildlife within the Ciutadella Park, where it’s located.
Overall, the move is a positive one and animal rights activists have praised the new law, however there are some conservationists and scientific communities who believe that the breeding of endangered species in zoos is essential for their survival and are against the ban.
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