#11767 Succombing to the Wiles of Furry Beggars in Villahermosa, Mexico

For all its ancient appeal, La Venta Park's Coatimundis (an animal related to raccoons) steal the show. Rattle a candy bar wrapper anywhere on the lush, jungle paths winding among the amazing artifacts (like the 5-foot, colossal stone heads dating from 1200 B.C.) and a herd of Coatis of all ages come running, tails held high, for a handout. Exotic birds, spider monkeys, jaguars, and other denizens of the Yucatan tropics round out the show. Their ancestors lived alongside the Olmec, or People of Rubber—the most ancient forbearers of Mesoamerican cultures from 1200 to 400 B.C.—along with huge crocodiles like the one in the park pond. At the end of the day, it's a toss up which is more intriguing: the wildlife or the monumental stone artifacts.