Simón Bolívar Zoo

In the spirit of setting the record straight, we at The Tico Times are starting a new occasional column called “For the record.” In this first column, we take apart the false news recently reported in online and international media that Costa Rica is closing its zoos.

A round-up of the best events going on May 16–22.

The Costa Rican Environment Ministry’s plans to revamp the country’s public zoos and turn them into cage-less bioparks came to a halt last week, when an administrative court granted zoo administrators Fundazoo another 10-year management contract.

Public zoos will remain open in Costa Rica for at least 10 more years following a court ruling last Friday. An administrative court ruled in favor of nonprofit group FUNDAZOO, which administers San José's Simón Bolívar Zoo and the Santa Ana Conservation Center, citing a contractual technicality that will allow the group to continue operating the zoos until 2024. The Environment Ministry, or MINAE, had said it would close both zoos in May.

FUNDAZOO's lawyer says MINAE entered the zoo's property without permission.

Environment Minister René Castro wants to set all of his country's wild animals free.

Three activists were arrested during the demonstration in front of the zoo on Sunday.

Animal rights activists are celebrating the Environment Ministry's decision to close Costa Rica's two public zoos next May. However, zoo administrators are not going out without a fight and plan to take the case to court.

Both Simón Bolívar Zoo and the Conservation Center of Santa Ana will close in May 2014 for renovations, and will reopen under new management.