Following the tradition of ancient Aztecs, this zoo near the center of the city conserves exotic animal species.

The first stone of Parque Zoologico de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Zoo) was laid in 1923, but the custom of conserving animal species dates back hundreds of years to the Aztec culture of Montezuma II in the 1400s. Enjoy the peaceful green space of the zoo and the surrounding Bosque de Chapultepec near the center of Mexico City.

Biologist Alfonso L. Herrera designed the spacious zoo after learning modern conservation methods from impressive zoos in Europe, South America and the United States. Visit today to become one of more than 5 million guests a year to this important globally recognized zoo, one of the most popular in the world.

Chapultepec Zoo created a strong breeding program in the late 1900s and became one of the first facilities in the world to breed giant pandas. See these special animals along with almost 2,000 others ranging from butterflies to a hippopotamus.

Explore the seven areas of the zoo, which include desert, pastures, coastal strip, tundra, aviary, temperate forest and tropical forest. Each has climate and vegetation created to match the needs of the resident animals. Special spaces are devoted to reptiles and butterflies.

While the pandas are the zoo’s most popular residents, be sure to look for your personal favorites. See antelopes and zebras in the grasses and sea lions and penguins in water habitats. Orangutans and gorillas demonstrate interesting human-like behaviors.

Along with your trip to the zoo, stroll through Bosque de Chapultepec or Chapultepec Forest, which is called the “lung” of the city for its green trees and fresh air. One of the largest and oldest city parks in the Americas, Chapultepec also features several major monuments.

Find the Chapultepec Zoo in the northwestern section of Bosque de Chapultepec west of the city center. Take the metro, getting off at the Auditorio or Chapultepec stops. Zoo admission is free, with fees for the special reptile and butterfly spaces and toilets. The zoo also has a gift shop and fast-food café. Include a visit to the nearby National Museum of Anthropology in your trip.