Mexican men sanding unpainted alebrijes at the Zoológico Mágico workshop in San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca, Mexico on March 16, 2024. As the figures dry, they are also susceptible to cracking. The cracks are filled with small pieces of copal wood and a sawdust resin mixture before painting. Alebrijes are surreal wooden sculptures depicting mythical creatures carved by hand and painted with ancient Zapotec symbols. Zoológico Mágico is San Martín Tilcajete’s first female-led cooperative. The women oversee every stage of the process including carving, a dangerous task traditionally only completed by men. Alebrijes has become a significant source of income for San Martín Tilcajete, a small Zapotec pueblo located 30 miles from Oaxaca city. The success of the craft has led to the depletion of the native copal trees from which the sculptures are made. The residents of San Martín Tilcajete attempt to remedy this with reforestation efforts and the management of wild copal trees. Photography by Bénédicte Desrus