BROWNSVILLE — Gladys Porter Zoo opened a Tropical Americas & El Mundo Huasteco Totonaco exhibit that contains animals from countries spanning from Mexico to South America.
The Huastec culture is a pre-Mayan civilization found in the northern part of the Gulf Coast, originating from 1250 to 1000 B.C.
“The zoo’s goal is to enhance every zoogeographic area,” Gladys Porter Zoo Director Patrick Burchfield said in a zoo press release. “We are pleased to begin the redevelopment of the Tropical America section, highlighting the culture of our neotropical region.”
The Huastec and Totonac-inspired exhibit was created by local artists Carlos Demoss, Mark Clark and Gustavo Gonzalez, who designed the trees, vines and the sculptures.
“ This whole area is known for the Huastecs,” Gladys Porter Zoo Marketing Director Cynthia Galvan said. “As I heard Dr. Burchfield (say) earlier, Tamaulipas is a Huastec word, and so we want to teach some of our culture that we have here in this area.”
The exhibit contains capybaras, which are known as the largest rodents in the world, and tufted capuchin monkeys. Later, the exhibit will have more rainforest animals, such as tapirs, river otters, leaf culture ants and jaguars.
The cost of the construction of the exhibit was less than $500,000, which was donated by an anonymous donor and Gladys Porter Zoo Board Member Paula Smith.
