Wild animals: "two philosophies come together" at the Strasbourg zoo

The walk is well known.

In Strasbourg, the Orangerie zoo has seen generations of visitors come to observe macaques, flamingos, mouflons, wallabies etc ... But not this summer.

The place, located on 5 hectares in the famous park of the Alsatian capital, has been closed since Wednesday and until further notice.

“We had to come to this because the last decree required us to deploy the health pass.

However, this is not possible in view of our understaffing, ”explains

its deputy director Mathieu Pichault

to

in a barely veiled attack on Strasbourg town hall.

One more in a conflict which has lasted for several months and which therefore opposes the manager of the place, namely the association of Friends of the zoo, and its owner, the city.

"We no longer have that 19th century look"

The main reason ? The scheduled departure of wild animals, i.e. around 120 individuals out of the 130 identified. “Jeanne Barseghian has never hidden it since her electoral campaign, she no longer wants it in these conditions of detention. There are two opposing philosophies. They do not question the principle of captivity and that animals are considered objects of pleasure for humans. We want to open the cages and no longer have that 19th century look ”, explains Marie-Françoise Hamard. Last month, the city councilor in charge of the file even set a course for the association: it has until the summer of 2022 to transfer the 35 species in question.

Except that none has taken place so far.

The Friends of the Zoo do not want to part with it.

First, because they believe that they will not necessarily be better treated in their future shelters and sanctuaries.

“All the animals were born here or come from individuals who entrusted them to us.

We preserve them and conserve them.

The inspection reports attest to it, there is no mistreatment, ”says Mathieu Pichault, who is also a veterinarian.

Like him, the current managers of the premises are rather pleading for a redevelopment.

"The association has been calling for its rehabilitation for two decades, but that it is the municipality which has refused to commit," had even recalled its secretary general Albert Bour in a column published in the Latest News from Alsace on June 21.

That same day, the city council had awarded the Friends of the zoo a new subsidy ... at a discount. From around 270,000 euros annually to 250,000. "The part (70% of the total) on the feeding and maintenance of wild animals will drop by one twelfth each month", specifies Marie-Françoise Hamard, well aware that this measure should overcome the last resistance. "We will make a progress report in September and December in order to keep the dialogue", she announces again, hoping for an agreement "because there are also many points of convergence between us".

In particular on the possible creation of a reception basin for the exotic turtles which pulullent in the park.

"We have also proposed to become a care center for wildlife because there is none in Strasbourg", adds Mathieu Pichault, saying "accept the changes".

But not those who aim to transform the current zoo into an educational and family animal park, with only farm animals.

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