The Botanical Gardens or Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays is located in the heart of the Palermo District in Buenos Aires. It is named after the French landscape architect who immigrated to Argentina in 1889 and became Buenos Aires's Director of Parks and Walkways in 1891. The triangular shaped garden, bordered by bustling city streets, was declared a national monument in 1996. It is 17.24 acres and has approximately 5,500 species of plants, shrubs and trees, as well as, a number of sculptures, greenhouses and, of course, cats. The cats that live in the Botanical Garden roam the acreage free and friendly. As a visitor you will see cats peeking out from behind statues, strolling down a dirt path, or curled up on a park bench. The vast majority of the cats are not feral to the gardens, but abandoned domestic cats. A group of dedicated volunteers, Asociacion Civil Gatos Botanico, care for the cats and will trap, neuter and release to help control the cat population. They also find homes for the cats through their adoption program.