Biodiversity News

Founded in 1946, La Flèche Zoo (Zoo de La Flèche) was the first private post-war zoo to be established in France. Nearly a century later, it still stands out and ranks among the top 5 French zoological parks in terms of visitor numbers, about 400,000 annually. Through the quality of its facilities and the work of its teams, the park’s focus and efforts are at the well-being of the animals.

Jacques Bouillault, the founder of the Zoo, developed an early passion for animals, especially wildlife, and taxidermy. After he married the daughter of the Marquise Hélène Rola de Rozycki they settled on the family estate at the Tertre Rouge hill southeast of the village of La Flèche. There he was able to exhibit his collection of live and stuffed animals in the estate's forest pavilion. Surrounded by an increasing number of these animals and gradually receiving visitors, he founded the Tertre Rouge Zoological Park in 1946 and people had to pay a small entrance fee. Initially, he displayed around fifty animals - such as badgers, marmots, foxes, raptors, reptiles and some monkeys that were given to him by soldiers returning from Indochina - in wooden enclosures he built himself. Though he and his estate was known for the animal collection, his official initiation as a zoological entrepeneur took place in 1947 when he was invited to Paris at an exhibition organised by a major airline company, where he presented eagles. The press named him the young provincial that was ‘the friend of the eagles’.

From then on, the Tertre Rouge Zoological Park became a real ‘zoo’. Cage constructions were improved and made sturdious, while the number of animals increased every year: lions, tigers, bears, large reptiles, etc.

Anxious to highlight the regional fauna, in 1961, a very important museum of natural sciences was established with educational function. The latter Bouillault considered to be essential, to allow people – particularly schoolchildren – to learn about nature and its inhabitants. As he traveled extensively to study animals in their natural habitats, he shared his experiences through popular films, books and lectures.

In 1971 an enormous vivarium was realised, showcasing in a very modern way a plethora of reptile species from all around the world, including caimans, iguanas and turtles.

Meanwhile, many zoos were created in France, which led to competition, resulting in fewer visitors and less revenue. So, despite his dedication, financial challenges forced Bouillault to sell the zoo in 1988 to Raymond Da Cunha, Insurance agent in La Flèche, who later passed it on to his son Stéphane in 1997.

From the moment the Da Cunha family became in charge things changed considerably. More exotic species were introduced, mandrill in 1989, chimpanzee in 1990, cheetah and hippopotamus in 1994. In 1997 the name was changed into Zoo de La Flèche and in the years to follow entertainment by aras shows and falconry shows were not forgotten. Initially, the focus seemed to be mainly on African species, but this changed also in 1997 with the introduction for instance of polar bears and tapirs (1999), arctic wolves and the almost inevitable snowy owls (2001), white tigers and gibbons (2005). The change also brought along modern moated enclosure design. In 2013 they started to offer overnight stays in lodges on the Zoo grounds to intensify the Zoo visit experience.

So, at the beginning of the 21st century, La Flèche Zoo is writing one of the most exciting and stimulating chapters in its history. In other words, major changes are being made almost every year. Enclosures are changed, enlarged or added to meet the standards necessary for the Zoo’s animals welfare. Education of the vistors and the opportunity to stay overnight in lodges overlooking the animal enclosures are offered for a long lasting memory, are other ways of trying to raise awareness about wildlife conservation (biodiversity loss and ecosystems disruption).

In 2017 La Flèche Zoo opened a two million euros worth addition - the largest expansion since the Zoo was founded. A 4 hectare area dedicated to the Asian continent, with new species such as Indian rhinoceros, smooth-coated otter, siamang and blackbuck antelope. Rainbow lorikeets will thrive in their 500 m² aviary. Education and awareness of the conservation of endangered species are at the heart of this expansion project.

In 2020 the polar bears got their own territory, while in 2024 the African plain was added, an extension of 3 hectares dedicated to giraffes and other savannah species, zebras, antelopes such as kudu and impala, ostriches, and other African birds. The three million euros African savannah plain is undoubtedly the most ambitious and significant project ever undertaken in the Zoo’s history. This large-scale project is part of a vision to reinvent the historic area of the park, while at the same time creating immersive and educational experience for visitors. Started in 2023 with two new environments for lions and cheetahs, this ambition represents a total investment of 16 million euros and will extend until 2026.

Every day, its teams strive to make the Zoo a place of liveliness that is constantly evolving, with respect for its inhabitants. This commitment is notably characterised through four key missions: educating the public, providing entertainment with innovative and meaningful activities for the animals, conserving species by involvement in international breeding programmes, and conducting both in-situ and ex-situ research. These last points are crucial given the numerous threats facing wildlife today: habitat degradation, deforestation, pollution, competition for vital space and food resources, hunting, poaching, and trafficking.

The Zoo is located in the Sarthe department of France and covers an area of 18 hectares. It is renowned for its immersive and naturalistic animal habitats.

Preserving fauna and flora as well

A unique feature of the Zoo is the diversity of plant species it houses. The vegetation naturally contributes to the well-being of the animals and indirectly to that of the visitors. Aware of the importance of flora for its residents, the Zoo emphasises its preservation and includes over 800 plant species, all carefully positioned according to the recreated environments for the animals.

(Source: website Zoo de La Fleche; website Ouest France, news 16.03.2017, accessed 4 October 2018)

Jacques Bouillault was born on 23 February 1924 in La Flèche, in a small house near the Prytanée. Raised by his grandparents, he developed an early passion for animals and taxidermy. His first explorations of the local fauna were carried out in his grandparents' garden. "I became a naturalist by exploring my grandmother's garden on all fours," he would later say. When World War II broke out, Jacques Bouillault began studying colonial forestry via correspondence. In 1942, to avoid German labour requisitions, he fled to the free zone. He took refuge in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where he was welcomed into the home of the Cubist painter Albert Gleizes.

Returning to La Flèche in the spring of 1943, Jacques Bouillault worked as a lumberjack in the Perseigne and later the Bercé forests before becoming a construction site manager in Saint-Jean-du-Bois. Alongside these activities, he earned his diploma and was entrusted by the management of the Prytanée national militaire of La Flèche with the restoration and classification of the institution's natural history collections in 1944.

Jacques Bouillault with brown bear at Tertre Rouge Zoological ParkHe met the Marquise Hélène Rola de Rozycki and married her daughter Édith. They settled in the family estate on the Tertre Rouge hill southeast of La Flèche. Jacques Bouillault registered as a naturalist-taxidermist and set up his collections in the estate's forest pavilion. Surrounded by an increasing number of animals and gradually receiving visitors. Native species were soon joined by more exotic animals entrusted to Jacques Bouillault by soldiers returning from overseas missions. He founded the Zoo in 1946, and in 1947 the site officially became the Tertre Rouge Zoological Park, the first private post-war zoo in France.

In July 1947 he held his first exhibition of stuffed animals at the La Flèche fair, where the castle's banquet hall was reserved for him. He participated in several exhibitions, such as in Saint-Brieuc and Brest, where nearly 200,000 visitors attended his stand in May 1953. Concurrently, Jacques Bouillault served as a consultant for the National Museum of Natural History. He began collaborating with Jean-Claude Filloux, a philosophy professor at the Prytanée, writing several articles for scientific journals. His first book, "L'ami des aigles" (The Friend of Eagles), was published in 1956.

In 1963, Jacques Bouillault embarked on his first trip to Africa, visiting Congo and the Central African Republic. From then on, he made annual study trips worldwide (Amazonia, Galápagos, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Patagonia, North Africa, the Red Sea, Aldabra), during which he produced several documentary films. He frequently returned to the Maasai, who nicknamed him simba. He published his second book, "Mes amis du Tertre-Rouge" (My Friends from Tertre-Rouge), in 1971. In 1972, Jacques Bouillault received the vermeil medal of the Civic Star and was simultaneously knighted in the National Order of Merit.

In the early 1980s, the Tertre Rouge Zoological Park faced financial difficulties. Jacques Bouillault was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1988. The park was subsequently purchased by Raymond Da Cunha, an Insurance agent in La Flèche, who renamed it "Zoo de La Flèche." Bouillault remained an employee of the new structure for four years before resigning. He later organized an exhibition on the Maasai people for the Safari Park of Port-Saint-Père.

In 2003, Jacques Bouillault received the Legion of Honour from François Fillon. He died in La Flèche, his hometown, on 14 April 2009.

(Source: Wikipedia, accessed 29.07.2024; website La Fleche village, accessed 04.10.2018; website Ouest-France, article on the 75 year anniversary of La Fleche Zoo, accessed 29.07.2024)

Jacques Bouillault with the wolves of Zoo de La Fleche

In this video of 1979 Jacques Bouillault decodes the behaviour of wolves in captivity.

The video is part of an article in the magazine “Animals of the World,” broadcast in December 1979. This episode was dedicated to Jacques Bouillault, the founder of the Tertre Rouge Zoological Park in La Flèche (Sarthe). A zoologist with a passion for wildlife, from lions and baboons to elephants and pythons, he encountered and cared for all these animals daily in his zoo. A prime enclosure was reserved for the wolves, "his sweet little darlings," as he called them and whom he knew by name, like the shy "Virginia," a dominant female, "paired" with "the blue-eyed Spaniard."

These wolves, his "children," seemed particularly friendly and attached to the specialist, giving him big hugs in front of the cameras. Jacques Bouillault appeared very comfortable in their enclosure, cuddling them back and showering them with kisses, but this apparent affection didn't mask his constant vigilance. For while the wolves were playful and vocal in the footage of them playing together, they remained predators, even in captivity, with behavioural codes to know and respect.

In captivity, as well as in the wild, wolves are social animals, living in packs with very strict rules, essential to the survival of the species. Mealtimes were the most critical moment, when no misstep was tolerated from any member of the pack. It was during meals that it was easiest to determine the pack leader. In this case, Virginie and the Spaniard, her mate. Jacques Bouillault deciphered every movement and the meaning behind their actions.

The zoologist, who had a stick hidden behind his back, explained the wolf's intelligence, its ability to notice the object and back away. He mainly described inappropriate behaviours around wolves, such as turning one's back and retreating: "If I move forward, the wolf will move away, but if I retreat, the wolf will come back towards me," he explained, miming his retreat, before adding, "It would be extremely dangerous for a stranger to enter the enclosure at this time."

The end of the report was filmed a few years later, after the two leaders had disappeared, leaving behind a disorganized pack. The zoologist entered the enclosure accompanied by the camera crew. He reassured them by emphasizing the safe distance that should not be crossed in the presence of a wolf.

(Source: 1979 : un spécialiste décrypte le comportement des loups en captivité by Florence Dartois, L’Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (INA), 24.06.2024; Les animaux du monde, 02.12.1979, video: Producer - Télévision Française 1, Director - Jacques Peyrache, Participant - Jacques Bouillault)

Situated on top of one of the hills of the undulating landscape in the French department of Sarthe, north of the Loire valley, La Flèche Zoo is built on a perfect quiet spot with a lot of natural vegetation outside its namesake village.

They make good use of the existing vegetation on the premises to house and exhibit their animal collection, and for the visitor as well. The grouping of the animal species and the way they are distributed across the site seems to be under development, but at time of visit it is still a bit haphazardly done. Although it’s a struggle to make changes to an existing layout, attempts are made of clustering the species according their geographical origin, especially those from the African and the Asian continent. There are two main African sections, the first being the one with chimpanzees, white lions and elephants, while the second starts some exhibits further down the footpath at the giraffe enclosure and comprises besides the giraffe also lemurs, serval, hippopotamus, cheetah, meerkat and fennec fox. As said, more or less scattered around the grounds species from other continents can be found with one exception. In 2017 they have added four hectares to the grounds - an extension dedicated to Asia with more than 10 new species. La Flèche Zoo as a whole immerses you in lush vegetation, while especially the Asian Plains is a delightful place due to the large natural looking area the rhino, nilgai and blackbuck have available.

The entrance

Lush vegetation makes the entrance beautiful and welcoming. Directly after the entrance booth a rotunda appears with on the right Chilean flamingo and on the left yellow-and-green macaw. Both enclosures are ideally situated shaded open areas. The lack of a take off runway would make it possible for the Zoo to keep the flamingos in this area without pinioning, but I was not able to notice this.

The information panels at the enclosures are commendable, providing a lot of information for those who speak French, and want to enhance their knowledge. However, they do not address the bigger picture of for instance climate change, deforestation, biodiversity and ecosystems and the possible role of zoos. This has to wait until the newly added section of the Asian Plains.

Africa and South America

The Zoo’s chimpanzees have at their disposal an elongated outdoor enclosure that is rather small - it’s rectangular with a water-filled moat on the visitors’ side, including electrical wire. The latter is ubiquitous present at La Flèche Zoo. There’s a rear fence with lots of bamboo and lots of electrical wire all around, and wooden platforms with various levels, ropes and other types of enrichment. There’s an indoor enclosure that can be visited as well. It is small and has reflective windows. Apparently they house a small troop, and there is trouble in the chimpanzees’ paradise. As is explained on the information panel at the enclosure; translated text in English:

Opposite the chimpanzee territory the white lion open top enclosure is situated. It consists of two interconnected areas surrounded by wooden fences and lots of vegetation, and inside the enclosure comprises several large trees and bamboo. Nonetheless the lions are rather exposed because there are viewing windows all around. The enclosures provide high level observation areas with some boulders which is a requirement for big cats of course. There is a small pool that can serve as drinking place. I saw only two white lions (male and female Panthera leo krugeri), which doesn’t reflect a normal composition of an African lion pride. White lions, in contrast to white tigers, are a genetic variant that is not specifically bred and has normal viability in the wild (more information).

Adjacent to the lion enclosure the elephant paddock, home to one of the African elephant species* (Loxodonta africana), is of a beautiful serenity when I visit these pachyderms. No other people but me to observe the two elephant ladies roaming their dedicated grounds looking for juicy bamboo, while the waterfall provides mesmerising background noise. The paddock is surrounded by a moat which is at some parts water-filled, creating a biotope suitable for frogs like in a ditch.

and Asia and Australia and North America and ...

The footpath between the lions and elephants areas brings me to the outdoor enclosure of two black specimens of Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas), a leopard subspecies confined to the Indonesian Island of Java. The agile beauties occupy an area filled with a variety of jungle-like vegetation and a waterfall. Unfortunately for them, the leopards are not allowed to climb the wooden poles that support the netted roof (so, no open top enclosure). As far as I could tell, there are no dedicated observation posts at some height available for the big cats, but there are spots near the waterfall that might accommodate the cats' specific observation behaviour.

Between the lion and leopard exhibits, the common squirrel monkeys are housed. So, in less than about hundred meters you walk from the African continent to Australasia to South America. Although the next couple of enclosures exhibit more South American species, there is no consistency at all in the grouping of the species, at least I haven’t recognised it. As walking straightforward along the footpath brings me first, as said, to the South American species, next follow the giraffe and the tiger close to each other (Africa and Asia), after which cheetah, hippopotamus and grizzly bear appear (Africa and North America). Clearly, they are struggling with their manner of presenting their animal collection, which could well be a temporary issue due to vision development and dealing with former decisions.

Regarding the enclosure of the common squirrel monkey, it must be said that it’s a nice outdoors with jungle-like features including natural and artificial enrichment to meet the monkeys’ urge to climb. The canopy of the surrounding large trees, however, provides shade all over the place, and unlike in the real jungle the monkeys cannot embark on a trip to the top of the trees to enjoy the sun. Their indoor quarters are easy to clean due to the tiled floors and walls. Despite the enrichment - by tree trunks and ropes – and the wood shavings on the floor it looks rather clinical.

It is remarkable how many enclosures have large glass windows to facilitate the visitor to observe the enclosures and its inhabitants. Unfortunately, the absence of bars doesn't necessarily improve visibility, due to the reflective effect of the windows.

More South American species can be found in this section. Several of them in a nice mixed-species exhibit, rich in vegetation and a netted roof, others – such as the predators - are housed separately. Both new world monkeys, the Geoffroy’s marmoset and golden-lion tamarin, together with the grey-winged trumpeter (Psophia crepitans) and sun conure (Aratinga solstitialis) enjoy their lovely enclosure. While the maned wolf probably would like to have a larger enclosure with more opportunities to hide away, because they do not like open areas – call them shy. The ocelot are kept in another one of the roofed enclosures they use a lot for mammalian predators at La Flèche Zoo. Given the size of the ocelot, these small felines have relatively more height to cover to get to the roof. The cats are hard to spot due to the plethora of vegetation and multiple hiding places. Unlike the black Javan leopard, the ocelot are allowed to climb the tree trunks. Finally in this South American section there are two kind of pit-like walled areas where green-winged macaws and military macaws are on display. They are kept in this open pits without any constraints, so it seems. Nevertheless they stay in their dedicated areas and do not fly around. Perhaps their wings are clipped?

More or less opposite these macaw territories an old-fashioned vivarium has reptiles on display in individual boxes, all with their own heater. It could well be the oldest exhibit of the Zoo. The panels at the boxes provide minimal information on the species inside, and lack to inform the visitor about the conservation status of the species. The next-door mixed species exhibit seems to be of another, more modern, era. It’s well suited to the species housed there, but provides much confusion, because it comprises species from North America, South America and Africa. This is not helpful from an educational point of view.

At the other side of the vivarium two enclosures are located for mandrill and eastern black-and-white colobus monkey. The indoor facilities for these primates are closely connected to the vivarium. Across from these African primates there is an Australasia section with Sumatran tiger, black-crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) from Southeast Asia and the large red kangaroo together with emu.

Having covered about one fourth of the Zoo grounds I walked from South America via Africa and again South America to Asia and Australia to a point where another Africa section awaits. A slight restructuring will be helpful if the inquisitive visitor would like to map the variety of species in his mind based on geographic origin, because the presentation of the species in 2018 could be confusing for some people. Even for the animals confusion lurks, because what to think of the Sumatran tiger which can see the giraffes in the adjacent enclosure. Not its regular prey of course 🙄. Having mentioned these two species it is worth noticing that the Sumatran tigers have a rather large area at their disposal, protected from prying eyes by wire mesh fences and vegetation all around the perimeter. Viewing of the tigers is only possible via a window at every side of the enclosure. The many large trees in the exhibit are not protected from the tigers’ nails (scratching and marking), while streams, a small pool, boulders and shrubs mimick the tigers’ natural environment. How different from the giraffe outdoor enclosure, which is a nondescript rectangular sandy paddock with little enrichment. To make things more naturalistic they have murals of savannah vegetation on the outside wall of the indoor enclosure. Could it be that the lack of enrichment has led to one giraffe showing stereotypical behaviour, tongue playing.

On the other side of the visitors’ footpath and next to the Sumatran tigers’ enclosure, the island for the black-crested gibbons is situated. This is the first enclosure I see here at Zoo de La Flèche that really uses a water-filled moat as a barrier. The large coniferous trees are not particularly fit for the gibbons to show their natural behaviour of swinging from branch to branch in the trees. Therefore, it makes sense that additional enrichment with ropes and tree trunck has been put in place.

A little but further down the path two other islands surrounded by water-filled moats appear. On the left the black lemurs (Eulemur macaco) are housed, while on the right another lemur island houses ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and white-headed lemur (Eulemur albifrons). It is interesting to mention that black lemur display sexual dichromatism in their coat colour. Males have black or dark chocolate fur, while the females' fur is of a lighter brown colour, generally medium brown, chestnut brown or even orange-brown. Males have large black ear tufts, while females have large white ear tufts. The exact evolutionary advantage is unclear to me, therefore it provides me an incentive to research how this came about.

The giraffe paddock and the lemur islands form part of the second main African section, with the more than 1,000 m2 South American mixed-species exhibit adjacent to the fennec fox house as the odd one out. Other species from the African continent on display, cheetah, hippopotamus and serval, are not as lucky as the lemurs considering their facilities. The hippos make the best of it in their small and old dilapidated enclosure. They even managed to reproduce and had a calf born on 8 June 2018, so three months old during my visit. The cheetah territory is way too small to provide these agile runners the opportunity to exercise. I couldn’t discover feeding enrichment equipment, what becomes more and more standard nowadays. The enclosure is situated close to the large restaurant (Safari Camp, open all year round). From inside the restaurant it is possible to view the cheetah enclosure. The felines do have open space available within the area with trees and shrubs. The serval enclosure is as most of the enclosures generously provided with natural vegetation, such as bamboo and grass, resembling their natural habitat – the open savannah.

The real haphazard collection

From the food court, where all the main eateries are concentrated, it then becomes like a travelling show of haphazardly collected and presented endangered animal species, until I arrive at the Asian Plains. Many of the Zoo’s animals are part of an EAZA Ex situ Programme (EEP), which is a good thing and contributes to the Zoo’s mission regarding biodiversity and conservation. But from an educational point of view more and better explanation about habitat destruction as a cause for biodiversity loss, and which habitats, and thus which species are at stake, will be helpful for the visitor that is eager to learn about this issues. In my opinion, relating that information to the Zoo’s species grouped according their habitat or geographical origin, will create more impact - enhanced knowledge and a clear take-home message.

I’ll give an idea of the layout of this haphazardly arranged part of the Zoo premises by describing some enclosures and species while walking around. Firstly the sole North American river otter caught my eye, mainly due to the fact that its enclosure is embarrassingly small with an artificial pool that is more made to please the public than the otter. Next, I pass the California sea lion theatre swiftly, because I think these kind of animal shows are entertainment that should not be part of a self-respecting zoological facility. Behind the theatre there’s a very simple straightforward, but adequate, enclosure for the Humboldt penguins (South American), though the pool is absolutely too small for these creatures that can fly through the water at high speed. Close neighbour in the Zoo is the polar bear (Arctic region surrounding the North Pole) in its large enclosure with a large pool and extensive land mass that can only be appreciated by walking around the enclosure. The arctic lodge – one of several lodges in this section where people can spend the night - is situated here at the polar bear pool, which allows for great viewing I suppose. It seems quite logical that the arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos), a subspecies of the grey wolf, is housed adjacent to the polar bear. However, you should realise that their natural habitats show minimal overlap, as the arctic wolf’s habitat is more or less limited to the High Arctic tundra of Canada's Queen Elizabeth Islands. Completely illogical, however, given the location on the premises and the relatedness of the animal species, are the two species just around the corner of the arctic wolf, the Asian small-clawed otter and the white tiger. Firstly, because their habitat and geographical origin (Asia) are so different from the arctic, and, secondly, white tigers are a genetic abberation that makes them vulnerable and not resilient to survive in the wild. There should be no white tigers in zoos! White tigers bring no added value to the tiger gene pool. (for more information read my blogpost)

Making my way back to the food court and then to the newest part of the Zoo, added in 2017, I come along the Yukon valley exhibit. This enclosure is built on the hillside and houses three grizzly bears (North American). The bears have a beautiful enclosure at their disposal with boulders, a fast running stream, a large pool and a lot of varied vegetation. Unfortunately the bears are not allowed to roam freely in their forest, and are forced to use the paths that are created (guided) with electrical wire.

As I continue, I keep the amphitheatre where the bird shows take place on my left, and pass the ring-tailed coati (Nasua nasua) and jaguarundi enclosures that are somewhat similar in design and very naturalistic with lots of vegetation and enrichment features. A jaguarundi cub has been born on 20 June 2018, so the enclosure at least creates an environment where the reproductive behaviour of the jaguarundis is not impaired. Next-door to these small felids some other carnivores are housed, the birds of prey (snowy owl, Eurasian eagle-owl and black kite). This small section is completed with the island for great white pelican and the brown-headed spider monkey island. The latter is completely artificially enriched by a wooden framework and ropes. Furthermore, there’s a public stand where shows are given. It is unclear to me what kind of shows and with which species.

Asian Plains

And then finally I enter the recently added section of in total four hectares called the Asian Plains, of which the actual plains make out two hectares. It is a mixed-species exhibit for, obviously, Asian species with two specimens of Indian rhinoceros, several blackbuck and nilgai (Bosephalus tragocamelus). There’s a nice natural pool for the rhinos. Around these 2 ha of impressiveness other enclosures with Asian species are situated.

There’s a walk-through aviary of 500 m2 for rainbow lorikeet – which is Australian, but to give them the benefit of the doubt let’s call it Australasian, Mandarin duck, Himalayan pheasant and Victoria crowned pigeon.

At the siamang islands, these black-furred gibbons do not have large trees at their disposal to brachiate through the canopy. They have to settle for artificial climbing enrichment. In contrast to the artificial environment of the siamang, the enclosures for the fishing cat as well as the red panda are rather naturalistic. This doesn't mean they are similar to their habitat of origin, but it is definitely a good step on the ladder of purposefulness. The enclosure for the fishing cat has got a pool containing frogs and it resembles a small jungle river with a lot of vegetation on the river banks. The red panda have to do without large trees, and therefore the visitor doesn’t have to look for these red furry creatures on high level branches, where they normally take their daily naps. The two aviaries alongside the edge of the premises at the Asian section comprises Blyth’s hornbill, crested partridge and Bali mynah,Java sparrow, Temminck’s tragopan and Nicobar pigeon, respectively.

Until now the educational value of the Zoo’s exhibits and information panels was mostly limited to the species in the specific enclosures. But here at the Asian Plains, they grasped the opportunity to implement information panels about ecosystems and biodiversity in the region, including hands-on activity to explore these topics.

After this highlight my day at La Flèche Zoo draws to an end. Walking back to the exit I visit a few species from the section ‘without any logical grouping’ that I deliberately skipped first. Pygmy hippopotamus, bongo and crowned cranes in the Congo River exhibit (African), Bennett wallabies (Australian) and Lama (South American). And the impressive walk-through exhibit of 2,000 m2 with species all endemic to or breeding in Africa; lemurs (ring-tailed, white-fronted brown, red ruffed), demoiselle crane and radiated tortoises, and birds like white-faced whistling duck, meller’s duck, white stork and helmeted guinaefowl.

Current situation (2025)

The current map of the Zoo shows an improvement of the grouping of their animal collection in my opinion. This not only helps the visitor better understand the geographical origin and habitat of the species and their current distribution around the Planet, but also their endangered status due to deforestation and other kind of habitat destruction for instance.

Significant changes have been made in the animal collection and in the way they are kept and grouped. The polar bear enclosure has nearly doubled in size, and it wasn’t small already. African species are better grouped together, just because of the 3-hectare extension in 2024 specifically for these species, the African Plains. The *African elephants have been removed from the collection and the cheetah and lions have been translocated adjacent to the African Plains. The Arabian Oryx (Oryx damah) has been introduced to the collection, but unfortunately it is on display adjacent to the maned wolf (South American).

Final remarks

The presentation of the animal collection seems rather haphazardly, with no obvious dedicated grouping, neither geographically, habitat-wise nor by species type. In the Zoo’s guidebook they strictly focus on geographical species distribution, which of course is a rather logical choice considering conservation efforts and educational activities to maintain the Planet’s biodiversity and ecosystems.

The 2017 addition, the Asian Plains, is a beautiful naturalistic exhibit, which shows the current approach of keeping animals in a zoo – large enclosures focussed on the animals’ needs and not necessarily on those of the general public. Nonetheless, while the visitor will not have very close encounters with the species exhibited, the visitor is immersed in an environment and atmosphere that is likely to leave a more lasting memory. Such a lasting memory supposed to be deepened when visitors can spend the night in lodges at the Zoo. This is part of the modern immersion experience more and more zoos offer nowadays, as do La Flèche Zoo.

The Zoo is an oasis of peace and tranquility, most probably due to the country setting with its lush vegetation. It’s a green haven!

I have mixed feeling about the glass windows used in a considerable number of enclosures for observation. They allow for incredible close encounters, albeit visual only – no sound, no smell. On the other hand the windows can obstruct the view due to the reflections of sunlicht in the glass.

Electrical wire is found ubiquitous in the enclosures here at La Flèche Zoo. Sometimes it is well hidden, while in some situations it is a bit distracting – when it’s very present, too present.

And hey, concerning the white tigers, I’ll just repeat: there should be no white tigers in zoos!

The information panels at the enclosures are great. Unfortunately, the information panels are all in French with only a brief summary in English. The name of the species is given in French, English and its scientific name. On most panels a lot of information is given on the threats the species suffer in the wild, based on the IUCN red list status. The geographic distribution is depicted on a map next to information on specifics such as life expectancy, reproduction, habitat, feed and more.

White lions are a rare genetic variant – and not albinos - of the southern subspecies of the African lion (Panthera leo melanochaita) that has a white coat colour and either brown, blue, or green eyes. Their ancestral homelands are the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve in South Africa, since 1938.

Commercial trophy hunting of lions led to the extinction of white lions in the land of their origins. In 2004, after 12 years of technical extinction of the white lions in their ancestral homelands, the Global White Lion Protection Trust commenced its reintroduction programme. Today, the organisation has successfully reintroduced three prides of integrated white lions to free-roaming conditions in their natural endemic habitat.

(Source: Home Range and Movement Patterns of Reintroduced White Lions (Panthera leo melanochaita) in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve, South Africa by Turner et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12152003 ; website white lion protection trust)

Some additional information, such as contact details and involvement in breeding programmes.

directions to La Flèche Zoo

The Zoo of La Flèche is located about 4 km south-east from the town centre in the lovely undulating landscape of the Pays de la Loire region in the Loire Valley.

Address:
Le Tertre Rouge
72200
La Flèche
France

public transport

by train

To travel to La Flèche and its Zoo by train the recommended railway stations are the stations of SNCF in Le Mans and in Angers (Gare Angers Saint Laud). Both stations are stops along the high speed railway lines (TGV) of France. There is no railway station in La Flèche, so from either Le Mans or Angers you should take the bus to La Flèche village.

Find your train to Le Mans or Angers here.

by bus

From Le Mans to Saumur Transdev STAO bus line no. 26 takes you to La Flèche en route. A routeplanner and timetable for the bus is available here.

From Angers St Laud railway station Anjoubus line no. 2 runs to La Fleche. A routeplanner and timetable for the bus is available here.

From April until September a special shuttle bus of line no. 26 runs in the morning and evening between Le Mans, via the bus station in La Flèche to the Zoo. The shuttle service between La Flèche bus station and the Zoo is for free. Unfortunately, from April until June the connection to the Zoo is limited to the weekend and holidays. For the exact schedule please check the Zoo's website here.

by bicycle

The Pays de la Loire region is a beautiful region for cycling, and especially around La Flèche there are a lot of easy-going cycle paths, including the ones that are part of 'La Valleé du Loir' cycle route. The land is not flat but the climbs are absolutely not strenuous. And when you stay the night in La Flèche, for instance at the campsite, you only have to cover about 4 km before you reach the Zoo entrance. The car park has a dedicated site where you can leave your bicycle with 10 stands to place and lock the bikes safely.

by car

The basic approach of La Flèche will start at either Motorway A11 or Motorway A28, both more or less running north to south with A11 west of La Flèche and A28 east. It depends on the direction you're coming from which exit you need to take. But when approaching La Flèche the Zoo will be signposted.

If you use a navigation system, you may use the following GPS coordinates; Latitude: 47.677638, Longitude: -0.047578.

Parking is free.

Download the zoo map 2018 here.

Download the current zoo map here.