It may require frequent stops, but there are small snack stands with plastic chairs and tables all along the wayand we can sit for a few minutes whenever we like, to relax and enjoy the scenery. The zoo is on a mountain south of the city. The heavily wooded terrain duplicates the undulating natural hills and valleys of Chiapas state. And unlike American zoos, which offer exotic animals from all over the world, the zoo here in Tuxtla has only native species of plants and animals. The abundance of flora and fauna is awesome.
Many animals run free.
Others are fenced in spacious landscaped compounds. There are lots of snakes, insects, spiders, and birds in addition to the larger mammals and reptiles. The zoo is widely acclaimed as the very best in all of Latin America. It is a fine example of ecological correctness. The Mercado de los Ancianos is a large market on the southeast side of town, not far from the zoo.