Drum-beating 'monkeys' and dancing 'parrots' celebrate 100th anniversary of Mexico City zoo
Hundreds of people in Mexico City have to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chapultepec Zoo, founded in 1923 in a city park of the same name
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of people celebrated the 100th anniversary of Mexico City's Chapultepec Zoo Thursday with a costume parade that featured a marching band of lions and children dressed as birds or butterflies.
Other revelers dressed up as dancing parrots, acrobatic zebras and there were even drum-beating monkeys at the Chapultepec zoo, which was founded in 1923 in a city park of the same name.
The well-loved zoo draws about 5 million visitors per year. But it is not without its challenges.
Dentist Diana Godínez held up a sign reading: “The animals at the zoo need better habitats, and better treatment.”
Reflecting changes in zoo philosophy over the years, the zoo has changed from a simple repository of animals. Fernando Gual Sill said the zoo is now “a center for wildlife conservation” that protects endangered species.
Mexico has a long and troubled history related to its fascination with exotic animals. Many lions and elephants were effectively abandoned after Mexico banned animal acts at circuses in 2015.
And drug lords and others routinely keep exotic animals like lions, tigers and zebras, sometimes in inappropriate enclosures from which some periodically escape.