Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro, Conservation zoo in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico.
Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro occupies the El Zapotal ecological reserve in southern Tuxtla Gutiérrez, at 630 m altitude with a mean temperature of 24.7 °C. A route of more than 2.5 km of walkways crosses the forest, and the zoo exhibits only Chiapas fauna, some in open spaces that use the natural terrain. It has an aviary, a herpetarium, an insect house, a Casa Nocturna and a Museo del Cocodrilo.
Elíseo Palacios founded the zoo in 1942 west of Tuxtla Gutiérrez with about a dozen species and a small natural history museum. In 1949 it moved to a 5-hectare site at Parque Madero, where Miguel Álvarez del Toro built its reputation as researcher and defender of Chiapas wildlife. A 1980 decree moved it south of the city and gave it his name.
The zoo carries the name of Miguel Álvarez del Toro, its researcher and director, honoured by decree when it moved to El Zapotal in 1980. Its exhibits are limited to fauna of Chiapas, from jaguars and tapirs to the resplendent quetzal, and the collection is presented as a tool for studying and conserving the state's wildlife.
The location sits on the southern edge of the city and is accessible by car or public transportation. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes since paths lead through the grounds and bring water for warm weather.
The facility runs a special breeding program for quetzals, a rare mountain forest bird found in this region. These birds are later released into a protected reserve to support wild populations.
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