The zoo was opened in 1964 as a very small family zoo (100m²). due to family connections in Madagascar Asson was the first zoo in Europe to breed emurs (first ones in 1966) and the zoo was well known for long for primates, birds and kangarus.
In 2001 the zoo was sold two a new team who have made the zoo more attractive but going on exhibiting and breeding unuasual and endangered species.