Tlaxcala is the capital city of a small state located in the mexican highlands. it is about 2 hours from mexico city. I had read about the existence of a supposed tiguar, hybrid of tiger and jaguar that was supposed to be at the zoologico del altiplano in Tlaxcala. The animal was evened mentioned in a wikipedia article and the subject was also discussed here on zoochat. When a former student, now a teacher at the local university, invited me to give a lecture at the University of tlaxcala, i accepted eager to find if the animal was there. When we arrived the next day after my lecture, i found that the tiguar did not exist. However, i visited an interesting middle sized zoo. The zoologico del altiplano was only opened in 1999. The exhibits are most outdoors, except for a small reprtile house and noctural house. The enclousures are actually good for a middle sized mexican zoo, there are glass fronted spaces with wire netting. moated paddocks, some very large, and a few aviaries. I really saw no bad exhibit to complain about, which surprised me. The locations is very hilly.The zoologico del altiplano is administered by the state government of Tlaxcala, has had some management problems, but seems to be now improving under federal surveillance. First there is a small reptile house, with 3 species of rattlesnakes native to the state, corn snake, boa constrictors, and a fer de lance, here called nauyaca. Outside there is a pool for sliders and mud turtles, also a nice desert exhibit for iguanas and turtles. After there are various glass fronted enclousures for mammals and birds, with no particular order,but with plenty of vegatation and space. The avian species are great currasow, crested curassow, chachalaca, silver pheasant, collared pheasant, keel billed toucans, harris hawk, red tailed hawk, black vultures,caracara, guinea fowl, peacocks, wild turkeys. Also a large pond for mallards, teals, muscovy ducks and some geese. Also a large aviary for golden eagles and moated emus. The mammals are coyotes, mexican ground squirrels, mexican tree squirrels, agutis, a capybara, guinea pigs, coatis, raccoons, grey fox, Bobcats, collared peccaries, wild boar and vietamese pigs. Then there is a small nocturnal house which has chincillas, cacotimistle, kinkajou, skunks, egyptian flying foxes, barn owls and great horned owls. There is next a primate section for spider monkeys, 1 mexican black howler monkey ( most likely confiscated by Profepa, the mexican enviromental agency) and some hamadryas baboons. A very nice section of moated areas for carnivores follows with large spaces for 2 jaguars ( 1spotted and 1 melanistic) 3 african lions, 2 bengal tigers, and various black bears. The large paddocks for hoofstock includes llama, dromedary, white tail deer,mouflon, aoudad, nilgai, red deer and wapiti. There is a large african area for a breeding group of ostriches, 1 eland, 1 waterbuck, 1 orix, and 1 reticulated giraffe. I suppose they are surplus males from Africam Safari in Puebla which is very near. After a breeding group of grants zebras, separated. To the end, there was a series of aviaries for pairs of military macaws and scarlet macaws, separated by couples. So, no tiguar, but actually a nice middle sized zoo which under proper management could easily have a bigger and important role in breeding and keeping more endangered native species. There is certainly enough room. I posted pictures in the Mexico gallery.
Thanks for the mini-review, and it goes well with the photos that you previously uploaded into the ZooChat gallery.
Gracias mil, estimado leopardo de las nieves, there is clearly an effort on the part of mexican zoos and their staff to reach the standards of the U.S. zoos. In this sense, i wonder why the asian zoos and in particular the japanese zoos do not seem to be interested in reaching higher international standards. It goes beyond the problem of funding. Anyway, it is always nice to visit a new zoo and see that it is well planned and the animals are well kept.
Great description Carlos! Do you know if the skunks kept at this zoo are Pygmy spotted skunks (Spilogale pygmaea) or Southern spotted skunks (Spilogale angustifrons) both native to Mexico??
The skunks i saw at the Tlaxcala were a pair of striped skunks, which were at the nocturnal house. Glad my review was of use to you.
I recently revisited this nice little zoo and posted some pictures in the gallery of Mexico other. Many confiscated animals find a home here, in decent enclousures. It has the only nocturnal house in any zoo in central mexico, which is nice. Some very interesting mexican species, including 3 endemic rattlesnakes taxa. To the general public, the most interesting new animals were a pair of white lions which seem to have come from a circus (remember that circuses in Mexico can no longer have animals) or a private collection.
