ZOO OF THE GARDEN OF PLANTS

In the tree-lined alleys in the heart of the Jardin des Plantes to get to know the 600 occupants of the premises. Red pandas, snow leopards, Arabian oryx, orangutans, pythons, Seychelles tortoises, pink flamingos, tree kangaroos, rhinoceros hornbills... The 150 or so species present at the Menagerie constitute a diversified collection, representative of the world of terrestrial vertebrates. These rare species are presented in an exceptional architectural setting. The Menagerie, founded in 1794, is one of the oldest zoos in the world. It depends on the National Museum of Natural History. The Jardin des Plantes is divided into seven areas, including the large Gallery of Evolution, the Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology, the Children's Gallery, the large greenhouses, and the exhibition of precious stones.
The animals are housed in the "fabriques", small huts made of logs, cob and thatched roofs, which were inspired in 1802 by the architect Molinos by Marie-Antoinette's farm in Versailles. Others can be seen in the large aviary, the only one of its kind in the world, built in 1888, or in the Vivarium (1926), the Singerie (1936) and the Fauverie, three buildings in the Art Deco style.
The Menagerie, which participates in several breeding programmes for threatened species. Among the successes of reintroduction into the wild are the little bustard (France), the Arabian oryx, extinct in the wild (Arabian peninsula), and the golden lion tamarin (Brazil), three species present at the Menagerie. Thousands of schoolchildren attend workshops and guided tours.
The Menagerie's collection is a living book of animal diversity. The astonishment, the tenderness that encounters with animals sometimes arouse, offer the opportunity to reconnect the city dweller with nature, to make the public and schoolchildren aware of the need to safeguard biodiversity.
Guided tours and meetings with the keepers help to improve knowledge and understanding of the behaviour of animals, whether they are rare or more common. As you walk along the paths, a trail highlights ordinary biodiversity: lizards, bees, foxes, insects, nesting birds... Twelve stations punctuate a playful and informative route. You can learn not only what threatens these animals, but also what you can do to try to guarantee them a livable space.