Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro
 ZOOMAT and caption | |
| Date opened | 1942[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico |
| Coordinates | 16°43′31″N 93°05′36″W / 16.725358°N 93.093467°WCoordinates: 16°43′31″N 93°05′36″W / 16.725358°N 93.093467°W |
| Land area | 100 ha (250 acres) |
The Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro (ZOOMAT) is a Mexican zoo located in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. It was founded in 1942 as Zoológico de Tuxtla Gutiérrez. It was renamed after its director Miguel Alvarez del Toro and relocated in 1981. Currently it is located in a nature reserve known as El Zapotal. The altitude is 630 metres (2,070 ft) and the annual mean temperature is 24.7Cº.[1] The main characteristic of the zoo is that it only exhibits endemic fauna.
History
The zoo was founded in 1942 by Elíseo Palacios for the study and conservation of the fauna. Originally located in a small area west of the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, with just a dozen species and a small museum of natural history. In 1949 the zoo changed its location, moving to the east of the city, in the area known as Park Madero. It was built on an area of 5 hectares where it remained little more than 30 years, despite its small installations (and even rustic) assembled an important collection of fauna of Chiapas, beginning to acquire a reputation for the originality of its design, exhibitions and the important work of Miguel Álvarez del Toro as a researcher and advocate for the state's natural resources. In 1980 the zoo was moved to its current facilities south of the city and there, by decree, was given the name "Zoo Regional Miguel Álvarez del Toro," in recognition of the career as a scientist.
Facilities
The zoo is located in the reserve of El Zapotal. The tour takes place on roads where there are only species of the regional fauna: wild boars, Graubünden, quetzal, deer, goat, badger, curassows, ocellated turkey, jaguar, tapir, various cats, black jaguar, peacock, old mountain, consensuses, otter, aviaries (toucans, macaws and other birds), reptile house (live reptiles), arboreal ant, waterfowl, raptors, guaqueques, deer field, coyote, spider monkeys and howler monkeys, raccoons and foxes, turtles, Vivario (spiders and insects), nocturnal House (copies of nocturnal species), bird, birds limnícolas and a Museum of the Crocodile.
The zoo has a media room, a library, a cafeteria and a dining area.