The Paris Zoological Park (), formerly known as the Bois de Vincennes Zoological Park (), and commonly called the Vincennes Zoo, is a facility of the

National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. In 2021, with 7 ...

, located in the 12th arrondissement of

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, which covers an area of in the

bois de Vincennes The Bois de Vincennes (), located on the eastern edge of Paris, is the largest public park in the city. It was created between 1855 and 1866 by Emperor Napoleon III. The park is next to the Château de Vincennes, a former residence of the King ...

. Designed to complement the

Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes The ''ménagerie du Jardin des plantes'' is a zoo in Paris, France, belonging to the botanical garden '' Jardin des Plantes''. Founded in 1794, largely with animals brought from the royal zoo of the Palace of Versailles, abandoned because of the F ...

, this zoo is dedicated to the observation of animal behavior in a more suitable environment. Since its opening in 1934, it is remarkable for its large artificial high rock, iconic scenery of the park, visible from afar and popularly called the "Big Rock". This zoo include a greenhouse of sheltering a

tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...

. The zoo was closed between 30 November 2008 and 12 April 2014 after becoming dilapidated and too small for its residents, according to criteria of the twenty-first century. The renovation, which began on 7 December 2011, took place over nearly two and a half years. The pens have been fully reviewed and grouped into five major natural environments (called ''biozones''). The work allowed them to reach modern standards for animal welfare, public safety and museology, with increased attention to the respect of the environment.

External links

Jielbeaumadier oryx algazelle zoo vincennes 2007

Zoos in France Buildings and structures in Paris Tourist attractions in Paris Zoos established in 1934 Buildings and structures in the 12th arrondissement of Paris Organizations based in Paris {{zoo-stub