Nancy, a student tour guide at Arbol Del Tule shows us the animal figures that naturally exist in the massive trunk of the giant tree.

The Arbol del Tule is a Ahuehuete cypress located in Oaxaca, Mexico. According to local Zapotec legend, it was planted over 1,400 years ago, by a priest of the Aztec storm-god named Pechocha. With the largest diameter of any tree in the world, it dwarfs the church whose yard it is planted in. The Arbol del Tule is one of seven extremely large and ancient cypress trees located in Santa Maria del Tule, but it is by far the biggest and most famous.
According to legend, Hernan Cortes, the conquistador famous for leading the Spanish conquest of Mexico, cried beneath the boughs of a cypress after the Aztecs defeated the Spanish on what is known as La Noche Triste, or the Sad Night, which took place on July 1st, 1520.
Because of the age and size of the Arbol del Tule, it is considered a unique natural monument, the source of much pride and reverence in Mexico. People from all over the world come to visit it, where school children lead visitors on tours of the images of animals and humans that can be seen in the trees gnarled trunk.
Because of the changing environment, the future of the tree is threatened, and many Mexican groups are fighting to protect the trees life. By preserving the land around the tree and promoting a more sustainable lifestyle, the hope is that the people of Oaxaca can work together to ensure that this beloved tree enjoys many more years of visitors and continued growth.