Bibliss, Léo and Eve, 10, followed Élodie Rey to the Menagerie, the Jardin des Plantes zoo in Paris. His job ? Ethologist. This consists of studying the behavior of animals.
“What’s the difference between a menagerie and a zoo?”ask Eve, Leo and Bibliss. “The menagerie is a term used in the past to designate a zoo. And we kept it. We are also in the oldest zoo in the world! It opened in 1794 and we brought in the first animals (lion , bear…) from the menagerie of the Palace of Versailles”explains Élodie Rey.
What exactly does his job as an ethologist consist of? “I am interested in the behavior of animals, especially when there are small problems between them. For example, I closely observe how things go between reptiles. When an animal is alone, I will find him a girlfriend or a boyfriend. So I work a lot with other zoos, to bring other animals here. I take care of their transfer and I also send our residents to other parks. And before transporting them, I teach them to walk around in a cage.”
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During the walk, we meet Tengah, a Malay tapir, “the biggest of the five species of tapir, the only Asian one. But he was born in the zoo of Beauval (Loir-et-Cher). Tengah loves fruits, leaves and music. There would be less than 2,000 left at the “wild state, and about 200 in zoos around the world, making it an extremely rare species. Like the giant panda, its black and white dress allows it to camouflage itself in the tropical rainforest”, enlightens the specialist.
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We also observe Tao, the Chinese panther. “This male tolerates temperatures down to minus 30 degrees. He is a predator that feeds on wild goats, rodents… He is fed small rats and chicken.”
The zoo is also home to cassowaries, a species of large flightless birds. The female is larger than the male. “It is also he who will hatch the green eggs and take care of the young. And they can live 40 years. They are not endangered, but they must be protected because their number is decreasing. They eat little mice, rats and fruits”says Élodie Rey.
Nénette, the orangutan, is he the oldest animal in the menagerie? “No! It’s the giant tortoise of the Seychelles who is 103 years old. She’s the oldest and her name is Pericles.”
IN PRACTICE
The Menagerie, the zoo of the Jardin des Plantes: 57, rue Cuvier, Paris 5th.
The Jardin des Plantes is open every day:
- Until September 30, 2023: 7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- From 1er to October 28: 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- From October 29 to February 29, 2024: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.