New Central American pavilion at Zlin's Lesna zoo

The Zlin Zoo in southeast Moravia is in the final stages of preparing to open a new exhibit devoted to the animals and flora of the Central American rainforests. The new zoo pavilion is named Yucatan, and cost roughly 80 million crowns ($3.5 million US) to build. About 300 different types of Central American flora re-create a rainforest, and the Yucatan pavilion will integrate animal and plant life with an exhibit detailing the culture and life of the lost Mayan civilization. A spokesman for Zlin's zoo says that the opening ceremony for the new pavilion will take place in mid-October. Zoo Lesna, just outside of the city of Zlin, celebrates its 200 year anniversary in 2006. The zoo houses around 200 animal species and covers an area of 42 hectares.