Argentina: Intense Heat Affects Polar Bear in Captivity · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

Arturo, a bear in captivity at the Mendoza zoo in Argentina, is suffering from the heat waves. The general population has not been indifferent and want the bear to be in conditions that allow him to endure the high temperatures.
There is already a precedent in Argentina, when polar bear Winner died [es] due to the high temperatures that are experienced during the summer months. Arturo is the only polar bear in Argentina. On his blog, Marcos Abarza Baumann [es] writes [es] about the conditions in which the bear is currently living:
Las condiciones en las que vive el oso Arturo en el zoológico provincial de Mendoza son deplorables y sin embargo no dejan de indignarnos cada día más: Ahora circula en YouTube un video en el que se puede ver como los empleados del Zoo utilizan mangueras para refrescar al animal que sigue viviendo en el mismo recinto mientras terminan de construir uno nuevo.
LE TIRAN AGUA A UN ANIMAL QUE VIVE EN EL HIELO PARA IMITAR LAS TEMPERATURAS BAJO CERO. Esto parece un chiste pero no lo es, fijate:
The conditions that Arturo the bear is living in at Mendoza's zoo are deplorable, yet they continue to outrage us even more everyday: There is now a video going around on YouTube that shows the zoo employees using hoses to refresh the animal that is still living in the same enclosure while they finish building a new one.
THEY THROW WATER ON AN ANIMAL THAT LIVES IN THE ICE TO IMITATE BELOW-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. This seems like a joke but it's not, look:
This video was published on YouTube by Julieta Godoy.
The Facebook page POLAR BEAR Arturo [es] tells the story of the fight [es] that has been going on since October 2012, even though as of now nothing has changed:
Y EMPEZÓ UN NUEVO AÑO … Y SIN EMBARGO , TODO SIGUE IGUAL
Arturo sigue encerrado en su caja de cemento y pintura celeste .-
Empezamos esta lucha en Octubre de 2012 , ya van dos veces que levantamos las copas por él … y nada
A NEW YEAR HAS BEGUN… BUT EVERYTHING IS STILL THE SAME
Arturo is still enclosed in his box of cement and sky blue paint.-
We began this fight in October of 2012, we've already raised our glasses twice for him… and nothing.
Meanwhile, Duende Visual [es] is asking of the authorities [es] that Argentina be a pioneering country in animal rights:
Podemos convertir a la Argentina en un país pionero en derechos animales, donde se pueda proteger como corresponde a las especies en vías de extinción, brindándoles a su vez un espacio donde poder vivir libres y felices, generando a su vez conciencia en la población, convirtiendo así a los animales en nuestros hermanos, no inculcándole a las nuevas generaciones que los animales son bienes o cosas.
We can make Argentina into a country that is a pioneer of animal rights, where endangered species can be protected as they should be, and given a place where they can live freely and happily. We can raise awareness throughout the population, turning the animals into our brothers and sisters, and not raising the new generations to believe that animals are goods or things.
Twitter also echoed the situation, as we see in these two recent tweets:
Por qué no hacen nada las autoridades de Mendoza? están esperando que se muera de una vez? señores, esto es maltrato. http://t.co/KbaN4stQB9
— El Campito Refugio (@elcampito) diciembre 26, 2013
Why aren't the authorities in Mendoza doing anything? Are they just waiting for him to die? Ladies and gentlemen, this is abuse.
http://t.co/aBNLRGeUN7 vía @todonoticias POR DIOS DIFUNDAN QUE LIBEREN A ESE ANIMAL SE ESTA MURIENDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Janet Vitry (@janetvkorman) diciembre 23, 2013
http://t.co/aBNLRGeUN7 vía @todonoticias MY GOD, SPREAD THE WORD: THEY MUST FREE THAT ANIMAL, HE IS DYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Small image from the Facebook page POLAR BEAR Arturo [es].