After several visits to the United States, Herrera obtained the first animals for the zoo, three lion cubs and two American bison.

Ernesto P. Uruchurtu, mayor of the city during that decade, gave new impetus to the zoo, new species were acquired and the entire collection was renovated.

Since then, eight giant pandas have been born in Chapultepec Zoo, becoming the first institution outside of China where captive breeding of this species has been successful.

A multidisciplinary group including experts in various areas such as designers, engineers, biologists and veterinarians worked in all aspects of the project, seeking to cover the four major objectives of a modern zoo, i.e., recreation, education, research and conservation of wildlife.

For over seventy years, the exhibition was classified according to the taxonomic groups: primates, felines, canines, herbivores, birds, reptiles, etc.

Chapultepec Zoo houses some important native species that are endangered or threatened such as the volcano rabbit, the Mexican wolf, jaguar, thick-billed parrot, ocellated turkey, axolotl and the red-kneed tarantula.

The collaboration with national and international institutions is part of the work the Chapultepec Zoo does for the benefit of the conservation of wildlife.