Parque Zoológico de Chapultepec

Description:

• Second only to the zoo in Beijing, China the Chapultepec Zoo receives the most visitors worldwide. The pre-Hispanic origins of this zoo date back to when the Aztec Nezahualcóyotl created this area for the population to enjoy the flora and fauna. It was meant not only for entertainment but also for medicinal, artistry, food provision and religious purposes. Today, around 2,000 animals of some 260 species—half of which are autochthonous—consider these 17 hectares their natural habitat. Different biospheres have been recreated to make these guests feel more at home. Temperate woods of conifer trees shield the bears, deer and wolves; there are pastures for herbivores and deserts of arid and semiarid regions for other creatures; the Arctic tundra for the polar bears and even a coastal shore for sea lions. This is also the home of the Russian pandas, which were the first to produce offspring in captivity. Admission: Free
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