Chapultepec Zoo Visit--Small Feline Complex

Again everything laid out in a nice, easy to walk through circular/semi circular pattern. The primate complex, which they were asking donations to "rebuild" I didn't get pictures of as the massive covering of vegetation with all the "lumens"(right Jim) made it difficult was laid out much like the Small Feline complex, above. The difference being their were free standing mesh cages behind each window instead of the rock work. Very, very unique and I hope they can "rehab" them without tearing down the existing structures, which would be a shame. I think, and correct me if I am wrong a lot of these unique zoological structures were built during the tenure of American Citizen John Schock who was the Director for many years.

Eight-day-old Giant Panda Dies, Believed Suffocated .

Incredibly, and to my disappointment the Panda Complex was closed. Nobody could tell me why, or when it would reopen.

For many years animals at Chapultepec were classified according to taxonomic groups, primates cats, dogs, herbivores, birds, reptiles. That concept changed in the mid 90's to reflect the fact that the animals live together in nature, so now they have started to group them according to bioclimatic zones. There are four climates, cold and humid (temperate forest and coastal), cold and dry (grassland), warm and humid (tropical rainforest) warm and dry (arid and savanna) now represented at the zoo, examples being the Arctic Water's and African Savanna pictured below.

That said, the taxonomic grouping of the animals in the unique circular "pods" was a unique part of zoological history and I hope the structures are not destroyed. The only really bad aspects of them were the night den's for the gorilla, orangutang, and chimpanzee's. Small, low roofed room's fronted by glass, with only a bench and a small pipe structure in the middle. The outdoor gorilla exhibit on the other hand was beautiful and big.