On July 6, 1923, by initiative of the missionary and pioneer of Mexican Biology, Alfonso L. Herrera, the first stone of the Chapultepec Zoo was placed. It receives more than 5 million visitors a year and is home to more than 2050 animals of 250 different species. Between 1992 & 1994 the zoo was ecologically restructured [read more]
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Dagmar Gerdes, Here's A Bit Of Your "Past." What Part Do You Still Want To Be Held Accountable For?
Chapultepec Zoo Elephants
From the website The Elephant Commentator:
San Juan de Aragon Zoo has 2 female Asian elephants - details on this database:
http://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=361
Like Ramba in Chile, Magy/Maggie was confiscated from a circus and was the subject of a court case.
In 1999, Maggie attacked and injured her trainer. Her owners wanted to destroy the animal, but an investigation found a similar scenario occured with a different elephant that was killed while on tour in Columbia. The Mexican Federal Environmental Protection Agency confiscated Maggie in November 2001 and placed her at the zoo at Chapultepec Park in Mexico City.
In 2009, the Federal Government lost their case against the circus when proper documentation was provided proving ownership. The Aragon Zoo paid three million pesos to keep Magy.
http://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=4673
10 photos (2008-2011) of the elephants and their exhibit on this link:
http://www.asianelephant.net/mexaragon/mexaragon.htm
'This is incredible to me. On the Chapultepec Zoo website:
Official website: www.chapultepec.df.gob.mx
there is a picture titled "Elephante." Click on it, then click on "elephantes y circo." Old antiquated pictures of elephants, no show name given, with the admonishment that the circus is bad, and folks should stay away from it. Even a picture of a Ringling Bros. elephant, with no statement that Ringling Bros. has had, cared for, and bred more elephant's then Chapultepec will ever dream of!!!!!!!!!! Just amazing that Chapultepec whom has had a very, very checkered past would stoop to that level to justify their existence.'
Even more amazingly Zoo Argon has an "animal behaviorist" on staff(recall anonymous who placed great store in them, because they went to collage) named Dagmar Gerdes, Manager of Behavior Enrichment, who spoke at the recent PAWS Shindig:
Summit for the elephantS, 2012 Hosted at the Oakland Zoo
Chapultepec Zoo Visit--Old Elephant House Front Pool Side View
The main reason for going to the zoo was to see this unique "zoological monster" in case it is decided to raze it, which would be a shame. Chapultepec's remaining elephant has been moved to it's sister zoo, San Juan de Aragon Zoo. The facility's don't look much different, but my understanding is the "companion" card was played to get the elephant moved.
The Circus "NO SPIN ZONE": Aragon Zoo Mexico City
The complex now house's a dozen or zoo eland, whom I guess don't rate the same consideration as does an elephant. But apparently the exhibit changes, because last week Jorge Carosco, the sea lion training with Circo Atayde(Aguilar) went to the zoo with his family and there were two giraffe in the exhibit. Oddly, they must have moved out the giraffe and moved in the eland within the past week. Truthfully, the eland looked as ridiculous at the elephant's once did in front of this building, and my suggestion is that they turn it into a "Chapultepec Elephant History Museum" showcasing a unique piece of zoological architecture, instead of trying to make it right for some other animal.
Stock Exchange in the back ground.
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.
Chapultepec Zoo Visit--Aviary Complex
Contrasting the visual "slap in the face" of the "igloo" aviaries below was this massive "J" shaped aviary, beautifully planted and hidden among the vegetation, divided in section's for individual species. 
Golden Eagle Aviary
Chapultepec Zoo Visit--Aviary Complex
The bird area was very unique, given the many differing styles of aviary's. These half dozen "igloo" looking aviaries were strange. Heavy diamond bar's with mesh behind them. Looked like they could withstand the weight of the heaviest snowfall. Not that that would ever be necessary. The architectural design was very difficult for me to understand. Inside each one, a total waste of space as there was a mesh cage along one side, and a small mesh cage on the opposite side of the pedestrian path. Just really odd designed aviaries.
Chapultepec Zoo Visit--Artic Water's Complex
One dirty assed Polar Bear, who didn't look like she had been in the water for a couple of weeks.
California Sea Lion Exhibit
This was a very nice building, at the end of a tree lined esplanade with underwater viewing. Laid out like all of the complexes at the zoo in a circular/semi circular formation which made for well managed "traffic flow." Granted Mexico has the weather on it's side, but it was sure nicer then walking into a dark, echoing building.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
