Parc des Félins
Encyclopedia
Parc des Félins is a zoological park in France dedicated to the breeding and conservation of wild members of the Cat
family. It is located in the commune
of Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux
in Seine-et-Marne
, about 53.6 km (33.3 mi) southeast of Paris.
The park covers an area of 60 hectares (148.3 acre). Of the 41 recognized species of felines in the world, the park has 30 different species and subspecies, with a total of 140 cats.
The park opened to the public on October 14, 2006. Originally, the majority of the animals came from the Parc d'Aulneau, which was deemed too small to house this many animals.
The park's philosophy is to provide for the well-being of the animals, and to provide an environment conducive to their reproduction. The enclosures were studied in depth to ensure the optimal environmental conditions of each animal.
The park is divided into four geographic areas. Each animal's area is accompanied by an illustrated board with the name and description of the animal, the specifics of the animal's enclosure, and the dangers to the animal in its natural environment.
s. There are only two enclosures in this circuit, located in the woods, and they are occupied by wildcat
s (Felis silvestris silvestris) and Eurasian lynx
(Lynx lynx lynx).
At the start of the visit one begins with the cheetah
s (Acinonyx jubatus) which have an enclosure roomy enough for them to run. At the end of the cheetah enclosure, the European circuit begins to the left. By going straight you continue on the African circuit and travel along the enclosure of the Katanga Lions (Panthera leo bleyenberghi). At the end of the enclosure one can either turn and start the Asian circuit to the right or start the American circuit to the left.
The African circuit continues to the left and the first enclosure is occupied by serval
s (Leptailurus serval). On both sides of the way we first see the sand cat
s (Felis margarita), then the African wildcats (Felis silvestris gordoni) and the Persian leopard
s (Panthera pardus saxicolor), and finally the caracal
s (Caracal caracal).
The circuit concludes with the white lion
s (Panthera leo krugeri) - a rarity in zoos - from the Transvaal, followed by the black panther
s (Panthera pardus) and finally the lion
(Panthera leo).
Soon the park will have black-footed cat
s (Felis nigripes) - their enclosures are currently ready and are holding the fishing cat
s.
The American circuit starts at the end of the Katanga lion enclosure. The first habitat of this circuit holds the ocelot
s (Leopardus pardalis), and next to it is the jaguar
(Panthera onca) enclosure.
The path continues past the enclosures of the margay
s (Leopardus wiedi), Geoffroy's cat
s (Oncifelis geoffroyi), the oncillas, and the pumas (Puma concolor). Finally one arrives at a dead end, to admire the jaguarundi
s (Herpailurus yaguarondi) which are very rare in European zoos.
The path ends with the enclosures of the bobcat
s (Lynx rufus) and the jaguar
s.
The Asian circuit starts at the other end of the Katanga Lion enclosure. The first felines on this path are the Sumatran tiger
s (Panthera tigris sumatrae), followed by the enclosure of the rusty-spotted cat
s. Further on is the rare Sri Lanka leopard
(Panthera pardus kotiya), the Asian golden cats (Catopuma temmincki), the Asian leopard cat
s (Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis), the jungle cat
s (Felis chaus), and the fishing cat
s (Prionailurus viverrinus).
The path continues with large enclosures containing tiger
s (Panthera tigris), Siberian tigers, Amur leopard
s (Panthera pardus orientalis) and Eurasian lynx
(Lynx lynx wrangeli). The path ends with the eastern Siberian and Mongolian leopard cat
s (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura), clouded leopard
s (Neofelis nebulosa), snow leopard
s (Uncia uncia) and Pallas's cats (Otocolobus manul).
population in the Parc. Many lemur species are represented, including the Ring-tailed lemur
(Lemur catta), the Red ruffed lemur
(Varecia variegata rubra), the Crowned lemur
(Eulemur coronatus), and the Red-bellied lemur
(Eulemur rubriventer). Many of the lemurs roam freely about the park, and occasionally interact with visitors.
Spring is mating season. In the late summer, the cubs and kittens begin to emerge from their enclosures.
Felidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
family. It is located in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux
Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux
Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.The commune was created in 1973 by the fusion of three villages: Lunigny, Nesles and Ormeaux....
in Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
, about 53.6 km (33.3 mi) southeast of Paris.
The park covers an area of 60 hectares (148.3 acre). Of the 41 recognized species of felines in the world, the park has 30 different species and subspecies, with a total of 140 cats.
The park opened to the public on October 14, 2006. Originally, the majority of the animals came from the Parc d'Aulneau, which was deemed too small to house this many animals.
History
- 1998: The Parc d'Aulneau opens
- 2005: The Parc d'Aulneau becomes too small and a new place is sought.
- 2006: The location of the park is chosen at the height of Fortelle at NeslesNesles-Geography:Nesles is situated about south of Boulogne, at the junction of the D940 and D215 roads. The A16 autoroute straddles the middle of the commune's territory.-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of Notre-Dame, dating from the sixteenth century....
in Seine-et-MarneSeine-et-MarneSeine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
. - 2007:The park accommodates a wildcatWildcatWildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
, a couple of leopard catLeopard CatThe leopard cat is a small wild cat of South and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range...
s, two sand catSand CatThe sand cat , also referred to as the "sand dune cat", is a small wild cat distributed over African and Asian deserts. The Sand cat lives in arid areas that are too hot and dry even for the African Wildcat: the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and...
s, a Siberian tiger, a couple of margayMargayThe Margay is a spotted cat native to Middle and South America. Named for Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, it is a solitary and nocturnal animal that prefers remote sections of the rainforest. Although it was once believed to be vulnerable to extinction, the IUCN now lists it as "Near Threatened"...
, two oncillas and two rusty-spotted catRusty-spotted CatThe Rusty-spotted Cat is the cat family's smallest member and found only in India and Sri Lanka. It has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN in 2002 as the total effective population size is below 10,000 mature individuals, with a declining trend due to habitat loss, and no subpopulation containing...
s.
Visiting the Park
The park is divided into four geographic areas. Each animal's area is accompanied by an illustrated board with the name and description of the animal, the specifics of the animal's enclosure, and the dangers to the animal in its natural environment.
European circuit
The European circuit begins at the enclosure of the cheetahCheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s. There are only two enclosures in this circuit, located in the woods, and they are occupied by wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
s (Felis silvestris silvestris) and Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
(Lynx lynx lynx).
African circuit
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s (Acinonyx jubatus) which have an enclosure roomy enough for them to run. At the end of the cheetah enclosure, the European circuit begins to the left. By going straight you continue on the African circuit and travel along the enclosure of the Katanga Lions (Panthera leo bleyenberghi). At the end of the enclosure one can either turn and start the Asian circuit to the right or start the American circuit to the left.
The African circuit continues to the left and the first enclosure is occupied by serval
Serval
The serval , Leptailurus serval or Caracal serval, known in Afrikaans as Tierboskat, "tiger-forest-cat", is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal...
s (Leptailurus serval). On both sides of the way we first see the sand cat
Sand Cat
The sand cat , also referred to as the "sand dune cat", is a small wild cat distributed over African and Asian deserts. The Sand cat lives in arid areas that are too hot and dry even for the African Wildcat: the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and...
s (Felis margarita), then the African wildcats (Felis silvestris gordoni) and the Persian leopard
Persian Leopard
The Persian leopard , also called Caucasian leopard, is the largest leopard subspecies, and is native to eastern Turkey, the Caucasus mountains, northern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and parts of western Afghanistan...
s (Panthera pardus saxicolor), and finally the caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
s (Caracal caracal).
The circuit concludes with the white lion
White lion
The white lion is occasionally found in wildlife reserves in South Africa and is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion . It has been perpetuated by selective breeding in zoos around the world...
s (Panthera leo krugeri) - a rarity in zoos - from the Transvaal, followed by the black panther
Black panther
A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars , in Asia and Africa they are black leopards , and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars A black panther is...
s (Panthera pardus) and finally the lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
(Panthera leo).
Soon the park will have black-footed cat
Black-footed Cat
The black-footed cat is the smallest African cat, and is endemic in the south west arid zone of the southern African subregion. It is one of the lesser studied African carnivores, and has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN since 2002....
s (Felis nigripes) - their enclosures are currently ready and are holding the fishing cat
Fishing Cat
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
s.
American circuit
Ocelot
The ocelot , pronounced /ˈɒsəˌlɒt/, also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney's wildcat is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean...
s (Leopardus pardalis), and next to it is the jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
(Panthera onca) enclosure.
The path continues past the enclosures of the margay
Margay
The Margay is a spotted cat native to Middle and South America. Named for Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, it is a solitary and nocturnal animal that prefers remote sections of the rainforest. Although it was once believed to be vulnerable to extinction, the IUCN now lists it as "Near Threatened"...
s (Leopardus wiedi), Geoffroy's cat
Geoffroy's Cat
Geoffroy's Cat is a wild cat in the southern and central regions of South America. It is about the size of a domestic cat. While the species is relatively common in many areas, it is considered to be "Near Threatened" by IUCN because of concern over land-use changes in the regions where it lives...
s (Oncifelis geoffroyi), the oncillas, and the pumas (Puma concolor). Finally one arrives at a dead end, to admire the jaguarundi
Jaguarundi
The jaguarundi is a small-sized wild cat native to Central and South America. In 2002, the IUCN classified the jaguarundi as Least Concern as it is likely that no conservation units, with the probable exception of the mega-reserves of the Amazon basin could sustain long-term viable populations. It...
s (Herpailurus yaguarondi) which are very rare in European zoos.
The path ends with the enclosures of the bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
s (Lynx rufus) and the jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
s.
Asian circuit
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
s (Panthera tigris sumatrae), followed by the enclosure of the rusty-spotted cat
Rusty-spotted Cat
The Rusty-spotted Cat is the cat family's smallest member and found only in India and Sri Lanka. It has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN in 2002 as the total effective population size is below 10,000 mature individuals, with a declining trend due to habitat loss, and no subpopulation containing...
s. Further on is the rare Sri Lanka leopard
Sri Lanka Leopard
The Sri Lankan leopard , colloquially known as Kotiya in Sinhala and Puli in Tamil, is a subspecies of leopard native to Sri Lanka...
(Panthera pardus kotiya), the Asian golden cats (Catopuma temmincki), the Asian leopard cat
Leopard Cat
The leopard cat is a small wild cat of South and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range...
s (Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis), the jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
s (Felis chaus), and the fishing cat
Fishing Cat
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
s (Prionailurus viverrinus).
The path continues with large enclosures containing tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s (Panthera tigris), Siberian tigers, Amur leopard
Amur Leopard
The Amur leopard , also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard, and Manchurian leopard is one of nine recognised subspecies of leopard. It is a wild feline predator native to the mountainous areas of the Russian Far East. It used to inhabit the forests of Korea and China, but it has...
s (Panthera pardus orientalis) and Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
(Lynx lynx wrangeli). The path ends with the eastern Siberian and Mongolian leopard cat
Leopard Cat
The leopard cat is a small wild cat of South and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range...
s (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura), clouded leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
s (Neofelis nebulosa), snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s (Uncia uncia) and Pallas's cats (Otocolobus manul).
Lemurs
In addition to the felids, there is a large lemurLemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
population in the Parc. Many lemur species are represented, including the Ring-tailed lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
(Lemur catta), the Red ruffed lemur
Red Ruffed Lemur
The red ruffed lemur is one of two species in the genus Varecia, the ruffed lemurs; the other is the black-and-white ruffed lemur . Like all lemurs, it is native to Madagascar and occurs only in the rainforests of Masoala, in the northeast of the island...
(Varecia variegata rubra), the Crowned lemur
Crowned Lemur
The crowned lemur is a lemur that is 31–36 cm long and weighs 2 kg. Its tail is about 42–51 cm long). The crowned lemur is endemic to the dry deciduous forests of the northern tip of Madagascar. It eats a diet of mostly flowers, fruits, and leaves...
(Eulemur coronatus), and the Red-bellied lemur
Red-bellied Lemur
The Red-bellied Lemur is a medium sized prosimian with a luxuriant chestnut brown coat. This lemur is endemic to eastern Madagascan rainforests and is distinguished by patches of white skin below the eyes, giving rise to a "teardrop" effect, particularly conspicuous in the male.The species, first...
(Eulemur rubriventer). Many of the lemurs roam freely about the park, and occasionally interact with visitors.
When to visit
The Parc is open daily year round, except during November-January, when it is closed on Mondays. Visiting early in the day or in the evening is preferable, as these are the times when the cats are most active.Spring is mating season. In the late summer, the cubs and kittens begin to emerge from their enclosures.