ZooParc de Beauval

The ZooParc de Beauval , more commonly called Beauval zoo or, more simply, Beauval, is a French zoological park located in Saint-Aignan, in the Loir-et-Cher department, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It features more than 3,000 animals on 35 hectares, which is one of the largest animal collections in France and in Europe. Created in 1980 by Françoise Delord, it is now run by her son, Rodolphe Delord, and managed by his family, which owns most of the capital. Beauval was often the first zoo to have some animals in France, which contributed to its reputation and to its development. It has been the first zoo in France to present leucistic big cats, white tigers and white lions, in the 1990s. Still today, many species are rare in France, such as the okapi and the tree kangaroos, or even unique, such as the koala and the giant panda. Four greenhouses presents birds, great apes, sloths, reptiles, manatees and Australasian animals, while three plains allows to present herbivores of the African savannah , African elephants and Asian herbivores . Other notable facilities in the park are the Chinese zone called On China heights, the African swamp called The Hippos Reserve, and the two spaces dedicated to shows: the sea lion basin presenting the sea lions Odyssey and the outdoor theater presenting a free flight bird show, entitled Masters of airs. As a permanent member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, it joined ex situ conservation by participating in European Endangered Species Programme , which it coordinates three of them. It also supports in situ conservation associations working in the field through its dedicated association, Beauval Nature, and has reintroduced several animals in Africa. The ZooParc de Beauval also proposes a consistent hotel offers with three accommodation facilities: an apartment hotel, Les Hameaux de Beauval, and two 3-star hotels: Les Jardins de Beauval Balinese inspired and Les Pagodes de Beauval in Chinese style. With more than 900,000 annual visitors since 2012, it is the most visited touristic site of the Centre-Val de Loire region, one of the five most visited zoological institutions in France and the most visited private conventional zoo of the country. In 2013, the ZooParc de Beauval had 170 permanent employees. In 2014, it had a revenue of 30.1 million euros and a net income of 1.8 million euros.
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