Miguel Alvarez del Toro Zoo

The zoo was founded in 1942 by Eliseo Palacios for the study and conservation of the regional fauna. Since 1980, ther is in the zone of the Zapotal, a medium jungle, composed of different varieties of trees such as the small zapote, colored zapote, zapote negro, amate (special Mexican fig), jocotillo, cedar, and baqueta, amongst other species. This ambient, gives the animals that live there, the closest habitat to their original area. The visit is made through a trail of 2.5 kilometers which takes the visitor to see the animals in their enclosures and included only regional fauna: boar, quetzales, mountain deer, badger, pheasant, turkey, jaguar, tapir, different cats, black jaguar, and pavon (large turkey; a symbol of the zoo, as it is a bird that only lives in Chiapas and is in danger of extinction), viejo de monte, otter, bird cages (with toucan, macaw and other birds), herpetarium (live reptiles), andt-eater, aquatic birds, birds of prey, guaqueques, country deer, coyote, spider monkeys, saraguatos, raccoon and fox, turtles, vivarium (spiders and insects), nocturnal housing (houses live species of nocturnal habitat animals), aviarium, limnological birds, and crocodiles.
The zoo also has a room of audiovisuals, library, ecological orientation, refreshment zone and picnic grounds. It takes in 139 hectares and is named for the person who has been its director since 1944 and who has obtained important studies of the Chiapanecan fauna.