We took Max to Parque Kabah this morning for a long walk and to check out the animals. All the animal structures were gone or empty! All the swings but a few had been removed from the play area too. Anyone have any news on what happened there?? We did see this animal wandering around in great abundance, not afraid of approaching humans either. One let Max get too close for my comfort (Ok, I guess I let Max get too close but I really thought the thing would bolt!) Anyone know what this species is that seems to have overrun the park? I have a guess that it's a coatimundi but I'm not sure.... Mystery animal....
Canuck - They are Coatis, you are right. And their population is out of control at the Parque Kabah. No natural predator and plenty of morons feeding them tortillas so they love people. The monkeys and other animals were moved to Xcaret awhile ago. I think there was a bit of controversy around it, I only found out after they were gone. It's sad because I was friends with several of the monkeys. My hope is that their living conditions are improved by being in Xcaret. The venados and pushy obnoxious patos are still there though, along with the million coatis. The most recent drama with the Parque Kabah has to do with developers wanting to build expensive houses there. What I heard was that the PRD was told of the plans and made them public. It would be an absolute crime to build there. Cancun should be ashamed for not having more parks and open space, they shouldn't build on the little that remains.
I have only heard them referred to as Tejones. If you take the right at OXXO from Bonampak, across from Azque, you can almost always see them along the side of the road. I stopped to take a pix and thought they were going to jump in my window so I got outta there. I hear that they are aggessive.
I used to call them Tejones, but the guys who work in the Parque Kabah insisted I call them Coatis. I know that some people have them as pets. But when people in the park feed them they can be quite pushy.
According to the wife, and those of you who know Fawlty Towers will appreciate that she's from Barcelona, a tejón is a badger and a coatimundi is a pizote. Of course this is European Spanish vs. Mexican Spanish, and she's really an Eastender from London who lived and worked in Barcelona for many years, but I figured I'd throw the words out just to confuse everyone .
A Pizote is a white nosed Coati.The picture of the Pizote I googled looks very much like the animals out in the Parque. Tracey ps where are there parks in Cancun where I can take my dog to run - like dogs at home do.
Tracey - Cancun has small parks all over the place, the issue is that they are within the supermanzanas, you never see them from the busy main streets. The ones I can think of with bigger parks are SM2A, SM20 (quite big), SM15 (quite nice), SM43, SM29, SM32 and a few others I can't picture in my head now.
I think it's SM4 (behind the American Hospital) that has a huge park. If you come in off Bonampak kind of across from Nayandei you can go in and run with puppers. And while the big one here in 32 looks great from a distance, it's all rocks and broken ankles waiting to happen. I wish I could even set foot in there but with Max it would be a hospital trip for sure.
