Near the pyramids of Teotihuacán is Oxtotipac, a town in the State of Mexico where there is a sustainable park called Animal Kingdomwhich is classified as a life conservation center, according to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT).
Reino Animal was founded in December 2006 by Grupo Questro, a Mexican company led by Eduardo Sánchez, which is dedicated to planning, designing and executing sustainable tourism developments and which has operations in Mexico City and Los Cabos.
This sustainable park was made with the intention of creating a space for people to get much closer to nature in an interactive way; and is born with a safari and a small farm.
We began to develop a whole concept that we ended up calling a life conservation center. That is the category. And we focus on taking care of three elements: fauna, flora and sustainability.
Ithiel Berrum, CEO of Animal Kingdom.
The park has 52 hectares and has 10 areas to visit. Each of them has a different theme, but with a single focus, for seven years: everything that is rescue, rehabilitation and conservation, as is the case of the golden eagle and the majestic jaguar.
One of the experiences is to go on a safari over 30 hectares of habitats created to meet, touch, feed and photograph more than 30 species of animals such as giraffes, zebras, antelopes and buffaloes, all in a safe way. It is also possible to get a close look at wolves, lions, jaguars and Bengal tigers.
In addition, it has experiences to interact and learn in a fun way about the animal world and the environment: the dairy barn, the reptile house, the aviary, the farm, the rabbit experience and a mini zoo. In addition to exhibitions and educational shows about nature.
There is also an area called Aguilario Refugio Salvaje, which is a conservation center focused on the research, rehabilitation and reproduction of the golden eagle, as well as the education of visitors about this bird and other Mexican species of prey.
Keys to operate successfully
The trend among entrepreneurs is to resolve the issue of biodiversity or biological diversity, which refers to all living beings on the planet, the environment in which they live and the relationship they establish with each other.
“The capital of large companies is going to move towards sponsoring sustainable or sustainable projects, because the situation of the planet is quite delicate. So, any initiative that solves issues of how life works and how to restore balance is going to be very well received by the markets”, says Ithiel Berrum, general director of Reino Animal, who studied veterinary medicine.
What does it take to successfully operate a place like Animal Kingdom? “First, the passion for the conservation of biodiversity. Second is the reinvestment that the owners have made during these 16 years to create and shape the park. This has led us to have a very solid financial base. The third component is our people. We are looking for people who have a vocation and who are lovers of nature”.
Approximately 150 people work directly at Reino Animal and generate twice as many indirect jobs due to the suppliers they have in the area.
The creators of this sustainable park consider it an innovative concept because visitors will not only see the specimens in a contemplative way, but they can also enter the route of what is a species in its entirety.
“As a center for the conservation of life, we believe that places like us are very impactful in a region because we teach the residents of Teotihuacán sustainable actions. For example: the food consumed by the animals of Reino Animal is produced by ourselves with regenerative culture techniques. We also get the energy for the entire park from the sun.”
Jaguar Sanctuary
The first outing of Solange Massimi, director of Institutional Relations and Corporate Communication for Ferrero de México and Central America, with her son after the pandemic was to Reino Animal. When they were going on the safari, the guide commented that they were looking for a sponsor to create the Jaguar Sanctuary.
“In Kinder we were looking for a project that had to do with the Natoons part, a collection of little animals. This is how I presented four proposals to Italy; and they asked me: ‘Which one are you going for?’. ‘I’m going to Animal Kingdom’I answered. The brand said: ‘Yes, we totally agree. We’re going to do it because this is sustainable.’” expresses Solange.
Today the Jaguar Sanctuary is the only existing Ferrero project worldwide. There is not others equal. Its purpose is to be a refuge for jaguars that have been rescued by the authorities, above all, from the hands of powerful people, whether they are criminals or not, but who tend to identify with these specimens for some reason and fall into the Animal Trafficking.
“Supporting sustainable projects benefits the reputation of a brand concerned with improving its environment. This translates into generating resources that are earmarked for conservation. In addition, there is a lot of empathy among the collaborators for what the company is doing in favor of the environment, ”says Ithiel Berrum, general director of Reino Animal.
One year after its creation, the Jaguar Sanctuary has been rehabilitating endangered, injured or sick jaguars that lived in small cages. Now the sanctuary is expanding with a new area called Wild Breeding that is designed to favor the controlled reproduction of these specimens, and then they will be reinserted in their natural habitat. Ferrero has invested up to today 10 million pesos in this project.
“There is great joy for a jaguar that is rescued and we have already had 10, plus two cubs that have been born in the course of the sanctuary’s life. Everything we collect from the Golden Symphony concert with Lucero and Mijares is for the protection of the jaguar”, concludes Solange Massimi, director of Institutional Relations and Corporate Communication for Ferrero de México and Central America.