Park with wolves of Gévaudan

The park with wolves of Gévaudan is an animalist park located at St Lucia, on the commune of Saint-Leger-with-Peyre close to Marvejols, in Lozere. It gathers more than 130 wolves in semi-freedom. It is largest of France.

History

The spirit of the park

Since its creation, the purpose of the park is the rehabilitation of the wolf in the spirit of people. Thus, he is explained to the visitors the reasons for which the wolf is an animal badly loved in France and in what one should not fear his possible return. Taking into account its establishment in the historical context of the Gévaudan, with the business of the Stupid of Gévaudan, a section of the museum is devoted to him, knowing that it proven forever that it was about a wolf.

The park visitor

A small museum accommodates the visitor. One can see there documents on the Animal of Gévaudan, the place of the wolf in the tales, and publicities lupines, inter alia… A mini cinema (50 places) allows to view three different films. A little further, a den can accommodate the wolf cubs. Two cages having been used to bring the wolves saved by " the Foundation Brigitte Bardot" are also present in this museum. The most interesting part of the visit is that of the animalist park which precisely contradicts this imaginary. The wolf is thus shown as in its natural state, and one explains to the visitor who the wolf with more fear of the man that the reverse. And that the imaginary collective finally anchored in the memories a very often false generally accepted idea on this animal.

The wolves present in the park are all resulting from animals born in captivity, coming from various zoos or European parks, or from the descendants of the wolves of Mongolia saved by the Foundation Brigitte Bardot. They all are of the captive wolves which could not be reintroduced, even in protected areas, having lost most of their natural instincts. Nevertheless, the visitor can observe their behavior lupin thanks to the guided visits.

The scientific park of observation

For most curious, the park of observation (free approach) is accessible to approximately 500 meters park visitor. The wolves being in a closed space, a food supply their is provided Monday, Wednesday and Friday towards 16:00. These periods are thus to privilege to approach the park of observation in order to see the animals. The wolves populating this park are all of the descendants of the wolves of Mongolia saved by the Foundation Brigitte Bardot. This park counts forty individuals divided into two or three packs. To announce that there no was birth in 2006, the enclosure having undergone work to facilitate the tattooing of the animals.

Subspecies

The park counts 4 subspecies of wolves. The stress is laid on the term subspecies : thus the reproduction between two wolves of two different subspecies is possible and the wolf cub will not be sterile. The subspecies present at the park are: Canis Lupus Lupus (Wolves of Poland), Canis Lupus Machenzii (Wolves of Canada), Canis Lupus Albus (Wolves of Siberia) and Canis Lupus Chanco (Wolf of Mongolia).

Canis lupus lupus

The wolf of Poland is about that which one could meet in France at the beginning of the 20th century before his eradication. The wolf of Poland east besides at the origin of the gray wolves or wolves of Europe met in several other animalist parks. With the park of Gévaudan, it is the first wolf which is met by the visitor. 18 individuals are in this first enclosure including 3 wolf cubs (3 females) born in this pack in April 2006.

Canis lupus machenzii

The wolf of Canada east often that which is the most appreciated visitors of the park. Indeed its curious character and the fact that it is less afraid of the human presence pushes it to approach a little more. Its attitude towards the guides is besides different from that of the other wolves. With time they succeeded in being made regard by these wolves guests and not as foreigners of the pack. Thus the approach is easier, with the great pleasure of the visitors. The size of the enclosure and the small number of individuals make it possible to appreciate them more easily. To date, the pack includes/understands only one female, three males and small of the year.

Canis lupus albus

It was a time when one could spend several hours in the park without seeing only one of his specimens. That was due partly to the site of the enclosure wedged between that of Polish and that of Mongolian. Today, they are much more visible. Three wolf cubs (male) were born in this pack in 2006. A platform out of wooden was arranged with the back of the park in order to better observe them.

Canis lupus chanco

The wolf of Mongolia has, as for him, a fawn-coloured peeling and measures approximately 70 cm with the garrot. In its country of origin, the species is not protected and the government offers premiums to drive out it.

Management, figures

The park was open in partnership between the general advice of the Lozere and the SELO ( Société of mixed economy of equipment for the development of Lozere ) and since is managed thus.

The number of visitors with exceeded the 50 000 in 1987, then 100 000 in 1994. Since the average is higher than 100 000 visitors per annum, which makes the second tourist site of it (with paying entry) after the Aven Armand in the department.

20 hectares are devoted to the wolf including 7 for the visitors part.

Controversies

Since its opening, the park underwent many attacks aiming to destabilize its good walk and to discredit the positive impact of the wolf in France. Thus, it is not rare to hear in Gévaudan rumors according to which the park would have slackened wolves.

After the departure of Anne Ménatory, the park had to undergo a new attack in the line of the preceding ones, giving a report on a traffic of heads of wolves which would have saying is organized by the park. The business appeared with final being only one unfounded rumor. Always it is that the park was condemned all the same for defect of traceability. Since, the 135 wolves of the park are equipped with a transmitter in the chin-strap.

That did not prevent the rumors showing the park when two wolves were announced in freedom in Lozere in May 2006. The report/ratio of the prefecture confirming some day later that the wolves (of Italian stock) had arrived by their own means and in a natural way.

Bibliographical references

Gerard Ménatory, life of the wolves , Stock, 1990
Gerard Ménatory, the wolves , Payot-Lausanne, 1995
Gerard Ménatory, life of the wolves: myth with reality , Hatchet, 2000

Sources and references

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