Our Vision

Established in 2008, El Refugio de Potosí is a private, not for profit, 7 hectare ecological park located in the ‘coastal tropical dry forest’ in the region of Barra de Potosí, Guerrero, Mexico. The park is the expression of the desires of Pablo Mendizabal and Laurel Patrick to promote conservation of the local native species. Under a framework of preservation, exhibition, education and research, we are striving to create a foundation of environmental awareness for current and future generations. The facilities and park will be a center for exploration and investigation. Our focus is children, students of all ages and the tourist population that frequents this area.

On the Map
 
Located one mile from the much visited destination of Playa Blanca, 15 miles from the tourist zones of Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo, off the Acapulco Highway, we are superbly placed for day excursions. For school visits, we are centrally situated between the cities of Zihuatanejo and Petatlan, in the municipality of Jose Azueta.

Beginnings
 
El Refugio opened its doors to the public in August of 2009. Phase one development is complete and includes botanical displays, insect, arachnid and snake exhibits, iguana habitat, macaw roosts, and hummingbird feeding stations, butterfly house and breeding facilities, wild life ponds and a 15 meter observation tower. Our Visitor Center and adjacent patio is an excellent site for interactive displays, exhibits, school gatherings, lectures and conferences. We have three large shade pergolas that are perfect for gatherings such as birthday parties or friends and family reunions. Our gift shop has something for everyone.

Since El Refugio de Potosi is the only approved facility in Guerrero for the rehabilitation and release of wildlife in need of temporary sanctuary, you never know who you might meet when you visit; today we have a flock of wild chachalacas wandering under the trees and a group of caracaras who needed a home since they can no longer fly. Come and see who is newly in residence this week!

Our Future
 
Future plans include additional exhibits for mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. We plan to construct a facility to house students and volunteers. An important goal for educational programs is to hire an education curator to develop and coordinate an integrated curriculum with the schools. We will develop a native plant nursery to provide us with plants for our botanical displays and materials for a retail nursery. This will provide an additional revenue center for El Refugio and provide the community with a much needed resource for native plants, (currently unavailable in retail nurseries).
 
This is a non profit venture, developed and funded by contributions and many volunteer hours. We welcome you to join us in this project to conserve the magic of this special place.