Paris Zoo

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Along with the Parc Floral and the Vincennes Castle, the area around the Bois de Vincennes also boasts a zoo, the Parc Zoologique de Paris.

This is the largest public zoo in France, and it is also the national zoo. There are 1200 animals to be seen, including the giraffes shown here. At one time, there was even a giant panda, donated by China, but it died of cancer not long ago at the very ripe old age (for a panda) of 28. Unfortunately, the zoo is and has always been dramatically underfunded, and this is quite obvious in the state of repair of the grounds (made worse by the windstorm that occurred late in 1999). The staff does the best it can with the funds available, I’m sure. Keep in mind that I’ve been to the San Diego Zoo, so I’m probably a bit spoiled in my expectations.

The giraffe enclosure here is typical of many of the enclosures for the larger animals. In warm weather they move about outside; in winter, heated enclosures inside buildings protect them from the cold (although I suppose the polar bears don’t care).

Photographed on June 20, 2000.