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Lille Zoo Jardin zoologique de Lille (review & pics!)

Discussion in 'France' started by Marc, 6 Jul 2008.

  1. Marc

    Marc Well-Known Member

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    Yesterday (July 5th '08) I decided to visit the 'Jardin Zoologique de Lille' in France. It's a free zoo for everyone. There is no impressive animal collection and there are no spectacular exhibits.
    Some pictures made that day:


    There is a big mixed exhibit for White Rhinoceros, zebra's and antilopes wich is quit nice!
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    There also is a kind of a reptile building with snakes (common snakes like anaconda's), Aldabra Giant Tortoise (with a sleepy cat in the exhibit from somewhere out of town :)). In the same building there are different kinds of monkeys: Pygmy Marmosets, Emperor Tamarins, White-lipped Tamarins.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Marc

    Marc Well-Known Member

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    Near the entrance there's a very mixed gallery of animals: Binturongs, Coati's, Snowy Owls, Ara's, Meerkats, Yellow Mongooses, Porcupines...
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    When you're around it's nice to visit but I wouldn't come from far especially to visit this zoo.

    More pics in my photo gallery!
    Marc Gallery - Photo Gallery
     
    Last edited: 6 Jul 2008
  3. Writhedhornbill

    Writhedhornbill Well-Known Member

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    I've been to that zoo, and it was nice, but nothing special...
     
  4. Cat-Man

    Cat-Man Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    what species do they have?:)
     
  5. ANyhuis

    ANyhuis Well-Known Member

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    By attendance numbers, I believe this is France's most-visited zoo. But of course the Free admission is likely the main driver of that fact. From what I've seen, this seems to be France's version of NYC's Central Park Zoo -- though not quite as nice.
     
  6. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    1.0 Brazillian Tapir born 25 Feb
     
  7. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

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    I visited the zoo today (02.06.13) and was very impressed.

    It was a fairly warm Sunday afternoon so the place was packed. I can understand why as it is free and is in a park which seems to be a very important recreational resource for the people of Lille.

    I got the impression that Lille has a fairly large population of people who are economically and socially disadvantaged and I think it is great that the zoo has free entry along with lots of signage and interpretive materials

    It is the only zoo I have ever been to with security personel wandering around but I didn't see any bad behaviour. On the contrary, most people seemed to be observing everything very closely with great interest.

    I could only spend about half an hour there as I went before getting the train to London and my friend really hates zoos so I had a quick look and saw almost everything.

    The first enclosure is a red brick and wooden fence enclosed red panda enclosure. It is nicely planted with lots of foliage and mature trees and is a typical red panda enclosure.

    As the pictures from Marc show there is then a path lined by traditional cages and low walled enclosures. There are no longer coatis here - their enclosure is empty and under rennovation but there are various birds including parrots, kookaburras and snowy owls, binturong, fishing cat in a nicely planted enclosure, capuchin monkeys (who are normally on a spacious island but for reasons unknown have been temporarilly moved) and saki monkeys. Meerkats have an open enclosure which is a bit tacky in design and there is a typical enclosure for crested porcupine and yellow mongoose. Parallel to this narrow avenue - which was very crowded - is a newish looking aviary style enclosure for lemurs - red and black and white ruffed and ring-tailed. It's quite attractive.

    At the end of this avenue is the tropical house. I didn't have time to see inside as they wisely staggared entry to avoid it getting too full but I did see two giant tortoises outside in an unspectacular walled paddock. On the end of the house is a fairly spacious aviary for great grey owl with lots of signage and educational and fun things about owls.

    Here you can see some of the citdel walls; the park surrounds a fortress. There are lots of large mature trees and dense foliage around the zoo which means it is a pleasure to walk around with twists and turns of the path and views of the larger enclosures through the undergrowth. An enclosure marked as housing Asian species is currently empty but at the top of the zoo is a lake with islands for white-handed gibbon, siamang and - currently elsewhere - capuchin monkeys. Also white pelicans and terrapins as well as ducks and geese. The islands are attractive with lots of branches and climbing equipment and there is lots of foliage around the edge of the path and signage placed on tree stumps which I liked.

    Then you come to the two larger paddocks. One for South American animals - a large paddock with alpaca, mara, capybara, lowland tapir and a fenced off 'island' in the middle for macaws which I din't like. Otherwise a fine if under landscaped space. There are a couple of side pens with emperor (from memory) and upland geese.

    Across the path from this is a winding and narrowish, but not too small, paddock for white rhino, eland and zebra. I wonder if smaller species might be better but it didn't seem too bad. Viewing is from above but a wide bank of foliage and a moat separates the public from the animals and you have a sense of discovery to an extent which pleasently surprised me in such a small zoo.

    So that's everything. It was quite a contrast to Antwerp and Blijdorp where I went on Friday - yes, I managed to do do both in one day - but it was an unexpectedly nice experience and I recommend a visit if you happen to be in Lille. Although to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the city itself.
     
  8. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    We have planned to visit this zoo on June 30 and this will become my first French zoo. I´ll let you know what I think about it....
     
  9. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    2 new Southern white rhinos arrived, one from Munster and one fromBoissiere du Dore :).
     
  10. trachycarpus

    trachycarpus Well-Known Member

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    When does Lille Zoo open in 2020?
     
  11. Clem

    Clem Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  12. Antoine

    Antoine Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  13. Antoine

    Antoine Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Chàm, a young pygmy slow loris born in Birmingham (UK), arrived in Lille. He will join Tavi, a young female already there.
     
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  14. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    I know Lille well but have never been to the zoo.

    However, I've just seen the pictures of this place in the gallery and it looks like a really nice little zoo to me.
     
  15. Antoine

    Antoine Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Lar gibbon transfers : Kalaweit, a female born in the zoo in 2008 has been transfered to another zoo in France (name not given). Following her departure, the zoo a new 10 years old female called Elliot, coming from Kolmarden (Sweden). She will be paired with the male Nicolas.

    Other good news : birth of two pygmy slow lorises :)

    Zoo de Lille
     
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  16. Moorhunhe

    Moorhunhe Well-Known Member

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    I visited this zoo back in 2018 for the first time, and was so impressed!
    It's in such a nice place, the surroundings are beautiful, and the zoo itself is quite big I thought, even though it didn't really look like it from the map.
    I then went again in 2019. Both times payed 4€, absolute steal really for this place at the time (don't know how much it is now?).
     
  17. Antoine

    Antoine Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  18. Haliaeetus

    Haliaeetus Well-Known Member

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  19. Haliaeetus

    Haliaeetus Well-Known Member

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  20. Haliaeetus

    Haliaeetus Well-Known Member

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