QUOTE carlos77 [If you check the AZA homepage on accreditation it states the Leon Zoo recieved a renewal of its AZA accreditation on September 2011. On the 2 of December the results were acknowledged publicly in Leon by an AZA representative and reported by Milenio news and local newspapers.Only Zooleon and Africam Safari Puebla are the AZA accredited animal collections in Mexico. I do not know why Guadalajara zoo and the mexico City zoos are not accredited. Accreditation standards are on the AZA page. Adam, i think that the rumours you heard are not correct.] UNQUOTE This should be an interesting topic! Why are not more zoos in Mexico accredited in line with AZA norms? In particular, the zoos mentioned above: the Zoologico de Guadalajara and the Ciudad Mexico zoos are excellent and frequent exchanges with US zoos take place (usually Mexico to US ..). For example, it would benefit conservation breeding programmes in both nations. The case of the breeding gorillas of Guadalajara now without a silverback male to breed from and the transfer of Peninsular pronghorn to the US whereas the programme is not promoted in Mexican zoos (only 1 other Peninsular pronghorn in one of the city zoos). The list could go on .... Any thoughts on this out here?
Very good question, Kifaru. Certainly the Guadalajara zoo and Chapultepec zoo could meet the standards of the AZA. Both do recieve animals from US and european zoos. There is also the excellent ZOOMAT in Chiapas, with various world records for breeding ( quetzal and horned guam). I know that many mexicans distrust US institutions, because of strong nationalistic feelings. I know that there are historical feelings on this. I studied in the U.S. (in Chicago) and i also realize many people in the north also do not understand how Mexico has evolved and grown despite its many problems. Surely cooperation between Mexican zoos and AZA zoos would be beneficial. The Jaguar Norteño - Northern Jaguar conservation program between Arizona and Profepa - Semarnat -Naturalia (mexican organizations) has shown how much can be done through international cooperation. Felines from the Sonora protected areas are now returning slowly to Arizona. ( There is a nice discusion on this here on zoochat).Surely zoos in both countries could find new ways to cooperate that would help animal collections and the preservation of species that do not recognize borders.
Agreed. Really fingers crossed that it can be taken forward along the examples of jaguar and pronghorn. And that real cooperative management for species can start to take a more coherent form. On historical feelings ... I can imagine!
