The zoo's pair of snow leopards moved to Dierenpark Zie-Zoo in the Netherlands today.
Source: Facebook La Ménagerie, le zoo du jardin des Plantes
Source: Facebook La Ménagerie, le zoo du jardin des Plantes
Jardin des Plantes Jardin des Plants - New arrivals and other news
- Thread starter kiang
- Start date
Today, following my visit to Vincennes Zoo yesterday was a rough tour of Paris and then a rough tour of the Jardin Menagerie. But it was very interesting!
I recall one point I made about the larger Vincennes Zoo was that its collection was very conventional. However, here it is rather the opposite! It is far from every visit to the zoo do I see kori bustard, tree kangaroos, Malayan tapirs, takin, gaur and Tasmanian devils especially! For those interested in unusual mammals it is rather dreamlike in my view. It is almost as if it was planned out more recently with unusual mammals such as these in mind!
Hopefully I will come back here and explore also the museums at the Jardin.
I recall one point I made about the larger Vincennes Zoo was that its collection was very conventional. However, here it is rather the opposite! It is far from every visit to the zoo do I see kori bustard, tree kangaroos, Malayan tapirs, takin, gaur and Tasmanian devils especially! For those interested in unusual mammals it is rather dreamlike in my view. It is almost as if it was planned out more recently with unusual mammals such as these in mind!
Hopefully I will come back here and explore also the museums at the Jardin.
Houbara, surely?Not sure about this one
Now considered McQueen's bustard. Houbara is for the now elevated african species.
The Zoo also has Little bustards
I believe it was the Houbara / McQueen Bustard. Not sure how that error was made …
On a separate note are the urial still there? They are not on any map, and I didn’t see them.
On a separate note are the urial still there? They are not on any map, and I didn’t see them.
Their former exhibit was completely demolished when I was there last week so they’re either behind the scenes or out of the collection
Visiting The Menagerie des Jardin des Plantes last week was almost surreal.
In the middle of Paris, the Jardin the Plantes is a large public parc. The whole park is very lushly planted and immaculately kept. The grounds hold a couple of large old greenhouses, very well maintained and (probably) worth a visit, although we did not have time. In the grounds are also three museums, one of which we did manage to visit. The Grande Galerie d’Evolution is situated in a large old building and the inside is absolutely spectacular. The grounds are very well worth a visit, as the time and money spend on them shows.
In the corner of the park is the Menagerie, with a separate entrance. The grounds contain at least 5 building, all old and many of them amazing. And here comes the surreal, it was so delapidated I couldn’t believe my eyes. One building was closed for renovations (the reptile house), one building was reasonably maintained (the Fauverie) and the other three were neglected. Many enclosures are made from rusty steel bars, wether they make sense for the inhabitants or not.
The zoo has the potential to rival Artis or Antwerpen on historical feel, but where the rest of the Jardin des Plantes get’s all the love in the world, the menagerie is left short.
Walking around gives you a unique sense what a historic city zoo would have looked like 50 years ago, and you don’t touch it for 50 years. My wife called it a barn find
The zoo is small and the collection is “different” to say the least. It holds so many odd species and so few abc-species, that at the end of the visit you almost wonder if you have visited a zoo or not. No giraffe, zebra, ostrich, elephant, rhino, hippo, meerkat!, lion, tiger… instead you find rocky mountain goat, bharal, markhor, tree kangaroo, pademelon, tasmanian devil, takin, gaur, anoa. Even for a species-hunter like me, it was almost too choice (didn’t know that was possible).
Last year I visited Aachen and was amazed I found a zoo that did not sell fries. This year The Menagerie managed to top that, by not having any food options in the whole zoo! In the end we found a small kiosk on the edge of the grounds, selling food to people outside of the zoo that was willing to sell us stuff out of their back door. Playgrounds in French Zoos are none existent, with the Menagerie not being an exception on the rule.
The Fauverie (originally the big cat house) was amazing, even though it only contained one leopard, a few completely invisable clouded leopards and a few northern cloud rats and it looked in an ok shape. The ape house (only containing orangs and a few monkey species) could be amazing, if anyone only cared.
When you’ve seen it all, you walk out confused into the rich splendor of the Jardins.
As a zoo-experience, the Menagerie is totally unique. I wish someone can conserve that “barn-find” feel and make all the old buildings usuable again, while maintaining their atmosphere.
On a news note, the urial exhibit was demolished. According to a keeper, the animals had left the zoo. According to a regular visitor, the area will contain birds (either a bird house, or outdoor aviaries). Annoying, because they were the only specisz there I had never seen
In the middle of Paris, the Jardin the Plantes is a large public parc. The whole park is very lushly planted and immaculately kept. The grounds hold a couple of large old greenhouses, very well maintained and (probably) worth a visit, although we did not have time. In the grounds are also three museums, one of which we did manage to visit. The Grande Galerie d’Evolution is situated in a large old building and the inside is absolutely spectacular. The grounds are very well worth a visit, as the time and money spend on them shows.
In the corner of the park is the Menagerie, with a separate entrance. The grounds contain at least 5 building, all old and many of them amazing. And here comes the surreal, it was so delapidated I couldn’t believe my eyes. One building was closed for renovations (the reptile house), one building was reasonably maintained (the Fauverie) and the other three were neglected. Many enclosures are made from rusty steel bars, wether they make sense for the inhabitants or not.
The zoo has the potential to rival Artis or Antwerpen on historical feel, but where the rest of the Jardin des Plantes get’s all the love in the world, the menagerie is left short.
Walking around gives you a unique sense what a historic city zoo would have looked like 50 years ago, and you don’t touch it for 50 years. My wife called it a barn find
The zoo is small and the collection is “different” to say the least. It holds so many odd species and so few abc-species, that at the end of the visit you almost wonder if you have visited a zoo or not. No giraffe, zebra, ostrich, elephant, rhino, hippo, meerkat!, lion, tiger… instead you find rocky mountain goat, bharal, markhor, tree kangaroo, pademelon, tasmanian devil, takin, gaur, anoa. Even for a species-hunter like me, it was almost too choice (didn’t know that was possible).
Last year I visited Aachen and was amazed I found a zoo that did not sell fries. This year The Menagerie managed to top that, by not having any food options in the whole zoo! In the end we found a small kiosk on the edge of the grounds, selling food to people outside of the zoo that was willing to sell us stuff out of their back door. Playgrounds in French Zoos are none existent, with the Menagerie not being an exception on the rule.
The Fauverie (originally the big cat house) was amazing, even though it only contained one leopard, a few completely invisable clouded leopards and a few northern cloud rats and it looked in an ok shape. The ape house (only containing orangs and a few monkey species) could be amazing, if anyone only cared.
When you’ve seen it all, you walk out confused into the rich splendor of the Jardins.
As a zoo-experience, the Menagerie is totally unique. I wish someone can conserve that “barn-find” feel and make all the old buildings usuable again, while maintaining their atmosphere.
On a news note, the urial exhibit was demolished. According to a keeper, the animals had left the zoo. According to a regular visitor, the area will contain birds (either a bird house, or outdoor aviaries). Annoying, because they were the only specisz there I had never seen
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
Yes the Ménagerie is a strange place.Visiting The Menagerie des Jardin des Plantes last week was almost surreal.
In the middle of Paris, the Jardin the Plantes is a large public parc. The whole park is very lushly planted and immaculately kept. The grounds hold a couple of large old greenhouses, very well maintained and (probably) worth a visit, although we did not have time. In the grounds are also three museums, one of which we did manage to visit. The Grande Galerie d’Evolution is situated in a large old building and the inside is absolutely spectacular. The grounds are very well worth a visit, as the time and money spend on them shows.
In the corner of the park is the Menagerie, with a separate entrance. The grounds contain at least 5 building, all old and many of them amazing. And here comes the surreal, it was so delapidated I couldn’t believe my eyes. One building was closed for renovations (the reptile house), one building was reasonably maintained (the Fauverie) and the other three were neglected. Many enclosures are made from rusty steel bars, wether they make sense for the inhabitants or not.
The zoo has the potential to rival Artis or Antwerpen on historical feel, but where the rest of the Jardin des Plantes get’s all the love in the world, the menagerie is left short.
Walking around gives you a unique sense what a historic city zoo would have looked like 50 years ago, and you don’t touch it for 50 years. My wife called it a barn find
The zoo is small and the collection is “different” to say the least. It holds so many odd species and so few abc-species, that at the end of the visit you almost wonder if you have visited a zoo or not. No giraffe, zebra, ostrich, elephant, rhino, hippo, meerkat!, lion, tiger… instead you find rocky mountain goat, bharal, markhor, tree kangaroo, pademelon, tasmanian devil, takin, gaur, anoa. Even for a species-hunter like me, it was almost too choice (didn’t know that was possible).
Last year I visited Aachen and was amazed I found a zoo that did not sell fries. This year The Menagerie managed to top that, by not having any food options in the whole zoo! In the end we found a small kiosk on the edge of the grounds, selling food to people outside of the zoo that was willing to sell us stuff out of their back door. Playgrounds in French Zoos are none existent, with the Menagerie not being an exception on the rule.
The Fauverie (originally the big cat house) was amazing, even though it only contained one leopard, a few completely invisable clouded leopards and a few northern cloud rats and it looked in an ok shape. The ape house (only containing orangs and a few monkey species) could be amazing, if anyone only cared.
When you’ve seen it all, you walk out confused into the rich splendor of the Jardins.
As a zoo-experience, the Menagerie is totally unique. I wish someone can conserve that “barn-find” feel and make all the old buildings usuable again, while maintaining their atmosphere.
On a news note, the urial exhibit was demolished. According to a keeper, the animals had left the zoo. According to a regular visitor, the area will contain birds (either a bird house, or outdoor aviaries). Annoying, because they were the only specisz there I had never seen
Once there were all the ABC species but nearly all of them have left the zoo in the last 50 years if not before. I've known Brown Bears, Gray Wolves, Chimps, Lions, Tigers, Dromedaries and Yaks in the 80/90/2000's but the Elephants, Giraffes, Seals, Polar Bears and Hippos were already gone.
A big problem in this zoo (after the lack of funding) is the tough urban planning laws, that practically forbid to change the look of the old buildings (classified as "historical monuments"). It makes most of them unfit to house a lot of animals according to current husbandry norms.
As the Ménagerie is small and run by a national institute of research (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle), the amenities for visitors haven't been perceived as a priority : it's the reason why it's difficult to find toilets and eateries (once there was a small refreshment bar, I don't know if it still exist).
I would say that playground aren't especially rare in French zoos but it's of course the case in the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. I remember small swings for young children, and also (in the 90's) an original sandbox at the place of the former hippo pool in front of the Rotunda, with two full-scale plastic replicas of Hippos.
There is a carousel near the Menagerie: https://www.google.com/search?q=cAR...ate=ive&vld=cid:06ba7804,vid:TtGt_yvnkoE,st:0
Thank you for the well-informed answer. A zoo with such a rich history must have had most of the ABC-species somewhere in it’s past.
Fighting over the use of buildings with a monumental status is what Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp (and I bet a few more city zoos) do all the time. They seem to get something done in the end. If you can’t adapt the building for it’s current inhabitants, change it for a smaller species. They are currently doing that with the Fauverie, there’s no reason they can’t do it with the other buildings?
Is the Museum that owns the Menagerie a different institution than the one that runs the Grande Galerie d’Evolution or the big greenhouses in the Jardin des Plantes? Because whoever runs those doesn’t seem to be strapped for cash
and somehow Artis and Antwerp seem to be able to market themselves, why can’t the most famous zoo of Paris?I have now visited a handfull of French zoos and I would say that playgrounds are rare in French zoos.
If you travel with young kids through Paris (or France, really), you’ll find the bloody things are everywhere. For the entrance fees I paid for the danged things I probably could (should) have gone to Disneyland
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The last time I saw the gaur enclosure, one sign said the Latin name was Bos gaurus and another said it was Bibos gaurus
No it's not a different institution: the various museums, the menagerie, Vincennes Zoo, the greenhouses are all part of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
About the other buildings :
- the Singerie (monkey house) offers poor housing conditions to the primates. All the biggest species have left the building, except the Orang-utans that remain an emblematic species. One possibility would be to dedicate the house for the sole Cercopithecids, but it wouldn't fit with the current theme and policy of the Muséum, that would dedicate the Ménagerie to Asian and Oceanian species.
- the Rotunda doesn't host any animal for decades except a few geese and the Aldabran Giant Turtles in summer. It may be converted into an Orangutan house, like in Schönbrunn.
- the Reptile house may remain more or less dedicated to the current collection. Maybe the croc pools would be dedicated to small species and/or young individuals, the Chinese Gator would be a good candidate for these exhibits (Asian species + threatened + small size).
- It's the same case for the Vivarium that houses only small reptiles, frogs and invertebrates. There isn't any real problem with the size of the building nor with the species displayed.
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I figured as much, which is why I said the visit is almost surreal. It’s obvious this organisation has spend millions the last few decades on their other buildings, many of them must be monumental as well. The gardens of the Jardin des Plantes (outside of the menagerie) are so well-kept, there must be a lot of workforce (paid or unpaid) available to keep them as such. It therefore makes no sense to me why the Menagerie seems so unloved.
The Singerie is an exceptional building and could either easily house an exceptional Asian smaller primate collection, or serve as an indoor enclosure for the orangs when you add an outdoor enclosure next to it.
The Rotunda looked fine to serve as perhaps an Australia house, just go to Budapest for inspiration (and although I haven’t seen it, probably Wilhelmina Zoo too). Anyone here on this forum could think of something better than animal-less and closed for public
The vivarium is fantastic, but it just needs a bit of spit and polish and sadly I can’t judge the reptile building.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Menagerie and would choose it 10 times over Vincennes. It’s atmosphere is unique in Europe. But there seems to be so much unused potential it’s making me twitch
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Its been five years now since my last visit to Menagerie JdP. I visited in the same day as the paleontological and geological museums (the latter solely because of a T-rex skeleton, which was on temporary display there), but regrettably missed the Grand Gallerie.
I absolutely loved the place. Being in such an old and historically important zoo, with gorgeous buildings and rare species in every direction, was such a unique experience. I loved the fact that it had not one but two reptile houses, and the open-topped pool for some particularly big Nile Crocodiles in the larger of the two was a highlight of my visit. I loved the Fauviere, particularly the caracals, which bred shortly before my visit, the gaur, and the tree kangaroos, which I had never seen before visiting. The caprine collection was excellent as well, and it had one of the most picturesque aviaries that I had ever seen in the Grand Voliere. Only the orangutan enclosure truly disappointed.
As we were staying right outside the Jardins des Plantes, and would go on walks through the gardens on most evenings, I was particularly grateful for the fact that many enclosures (wallabies, fallow deer, red pandas and binturongs) are visible without having to enter the collection.
I absolutely loved the place. Being in such an old and historically important zoo, with gorgeous buildings and rare species in every direction, was such a unique experience. I loved the fact that it had not one but two reptile houses, and the open-topped pool for some particularly big Nile Crocodiles in the larger of the two was a highlight of my visit. I loved the Fauviere, particularly the caracals, which bred shortly before my visit, the gaur, and the tree kangaroos, which I had never seen before visiting. The caprine collection was excellent as well, and it had one of the most picturesque aviaries that I had ever seen in the Grand Voliere. Only the orangutan enclosure truly disappointed.
As we were staying right outside the Jardins des Plantes, and would go on walks through the gardens on most evenings, I was particularly grateful for the fact that many enclosures (wallabies, fallow deer, red pandas and binturongs) are visible without having to enter the collection.
Without wanting to keep this thread going unnecessary, just as an update on your post;
- the largest and probably most impressive of the two reptile houses is now (temporarily) closed;
- caracals have (temporarily?) left the collection;
- fallow deer have left the collection?;
- red panda has temporarily left the collection
- Urial left the collection;
- both bharal and markhor had no buck on show (perhaps both were inside all day);
- Rocky mountain goat appeared to be a singleton.
So if you visit now, many of the things you enjoyed are now N/A I’m afraid.
I also loved the aviary, but it is in such condition of disrepair I wonder if it can be held open without a serieus overhaul in the near future.
But let’s see if the Menagerie manages to get itself up and going again. I’d love to revisit in 2025 when the reptile house is back open
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Does all this mean their once excellent Caprid collection is now becoming a memory of the past?
Visiting The Menagerie des Jardin des Plantes last week was almost surreal.
In the middle of Paris, the Jardin the Plantes is a large public parc. The whole park is very lushly planted and immaculately kept. The grounds hold a couple of large old greenhouses, very well maintained and (probably) worth a visit, although we did not have time. In the grounds are also three museums, one of which we did manage to visit. The Grande Galerie d’Evolution is situated in a large old building and the inside is absolutely spectacular. The grounds are very well worth a visit, as the time and money spend on them shows.
In the corner of the park is the Menagerie, with a separate entrance. The grounds contain at least 5 building, all old and many of them amazing. And here comes the surreal, it was so delapidated I couldn’t believe my eyes. One building was closed for renovations (the reptile house), one building was reasonably maintained (the Fauverie) and the other three were neglected. Many enclosures are made from rusty steel bars, wether they make sense for the inhabitants or not.
The zoo has the potential to rival Artis or Antwerpen on historical feel, but where the rest of the Jardin des Plantes get’s all the love in the world, the menagerie is left short.
Walking around gives you a unique sense what a historic city zoo would have looked like 50 years ago, and you don’t touch it for 50 years. My wife called it a barn find
The zoo is small and the collection is “different” to say the least. It holds so many odd species and so few abc-species, that at the end of the visit you almost wonder if you have visited a zoo or not. No giraffe, zebra, ostrich, elephant, rhino, hippo, meerkat!, lion, tiger… instead you find rocky mountain goat, bharal, markhor, tree kangaroo, pademelon, tasmanian devil, takin, gaur, anoa. Even for a species-hunter like me, it was almost too choice (didn’t know that was possible).
Last year I visited Aachen and was amazed I found a zoo that did not sell fries. This year The Menagerie managed to top that, by not having any food options in the whole zoo! In the end we found a small kiosk on the edge of the grounds, selling food to people outside of the zoo that was willing to sell us stuff out of their back door. Playgrounds in French Zoos are none existent, with the Menagerie not being an exception on the rule.
The Fauverie (originally the big cat house) was amazing, even though it only contained one leopard, a few completely invisable clouded leopards and a few northern cloud rats and it looked in an ok shape. The ape house (only containing orangs and a few monkey species) could be amazing, if anyone only cared.
When you’ve seen it all, you walk out confused into the rich splendor of the Jardins.
As a zoo-experience, the Menagerie is totally unique. I wish someone can conserve that “barn-find” feel and make all the old buildings usuable again, while maintaining their atmosphere.
On a news note, the urial exhibit was demolished. According to a keeper, the animals had left the zoo. According to a regular visitor, the area will contain birds (either a bird house, or outdoor aviaries). Annoying, because they were the only specisz there I had never seen
I have the feeling that the atmosphere of looking aged and slightly worn down is intentional as the goal seems to preserve as much of the original structure as possible. That that means it looks somewhat ugly is nothing more than a side effect. I absolutely loved it and my partner liked it too, even though she doesn't really like zoos... It does look like it can do with a bit of investment, but I guess as a publicly funded zoo that is somewhat difficult...