Chapultepec Zoo
Chapultepec Zoo logo
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| Date opened | 1924 |
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| Location | Chapultepec, Mexico |
| Coordinates | 19°25′26.11″N 99°11′21.18″W / 19.4239194°N 99.1892167°WCoordinates: 19°25′26.11″N 99°11′21.18″W / 19.4239194°N 99.1892167°W |
| Land area | 17 acres |
| Number of animals | 1930 |
| Number of species | 250 |
| Annual visitors | 5.5 million |
| Website | www.chapultepec.df.gob.mx |
Chapultepec Zoo (Spanish: Zoológico de Chapultepec) is a zoo located in Chapultepec Park; it is one of four zoos near Mexico City, and the best known Mexican zoo. It was founded July 6, 1923 by Mexican biologist Alfonso Luis Herrera using donations from private citizens and governmental funds from the Ministry of Agriculture and Development, and also with funds from the Society of Biological Studies. The zoo is rather popular after a recent renovation begun in 1992 which took two years; estimates of its popularity range from 5.5 million visitors per year to as much as 8 million, who all come to see its large collection of almost 2000 animals from more than 200 species. It is the second largest zoo in Mexico after the Guadalajara Zoo in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
The zoo opened in 1924. The biologist Alfonso L. Herrera, founder of Chapultepec Zoo, wanted to recreate the famous zoo and aviary of Moctezuma II. He wanted to exhibit the native species for Mexicans, along with other species from the rest of the world. The collection would include mammals, birds and reptiles, as well as an aquarium.
After several visits to the United States, Herrera obtained the first animals for the zoo, three lion cubs and two American bison. The native animals came from different Mexican states like Sonora, Veracruz and Campeche, while other animals were exchanged with countries like India, France, Peru and Brazil. This first collection consisted of 243 animals.
Between 1950 and 1960, the zoo had the sole purpose of being a place of recreation that exhibited several popular animal species. Ernesto P. Uruchurtu, mayor of the city during that decade, gave new impetus to the zoo, new species were acquired and the entire collection was renovated. Some of the animals that were acquired back then are still in the collection more than half a century later.
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