Zoological Garden of Monaco | |
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43°43′52.62″N7°25′5.83″E / 43.7312833°N 7.4182861°E | |
Date opened | 1954 |
Land area | 1 hectare (2.5 acres) |
No. of animals | 250 |
No. of species | 50 |
The Jardin Animalier de Monaco is a zoo located on the Esplanade Rainer III, in Monaco's Fontvieille ward, on the southern side of the Rock of Monaco. [1] It was established by Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1954. [1] 250 animals are held in the zoo, representing some 50 species. [1]
The zoo is a hectare in size, set over four levels on the rock. [2] None of the animals were purchased; all have come from donations, circuses, or abandoned animals and those seized by circuses. [2] Five animals came to the zoo after the 2009 closure of the zoo at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. [2]
The zoo formerly contained leopards, but these were released into the wild due to the efforts of campaigner Virginia McKenna, founder of the Born Free Foundation. [3] The two leopards, Pitou and Sirius, had been kept in a five-meter enclosure with a concrete floor. [4] McKenna had previously visited Monaco nine times in an attempt to petition Prince Rainier for the animal's release, she was finally granted a royal audience with Prince Albert after his ascension to the Monegasque throne in 2005. [3] Albert agreed to release the leopards to Born Free, with a promise to release the camel and hippo in the zoo at a later date. Albert also promised to turn the Zoological Gardens into a petting zoo. [3]
Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to 38,682 residents, of whom 9,486 are Monégasque nationals; it is widely recognised as one of the most expensive and wealthiest places in the world. The official language of the principality is French. In addition, Monégasque, English and Italian are spoken and understood by many residents.
Rainier III was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years.
Princess Stéphanie Marie Elisabeth of Monaco is the youngest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and American actress Grace Kelly. She is the younger sister of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Caroline, Princess of Hanover. Currently 14th in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne, she has been a singer, swimwear designer and fashion model.
Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy was a member of the princely family of Monaco. She was the elder sister of Prince Rainier III. Her parents were Count Pierre de Polignac and Charlotte, Hereditary Princess of Monaco and Duchess of Valentinois.
Albert II is Prince of Monaco, reigning since 2005.
The French Riviera, known in French as the Côte d'Azur, is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is considered to be the coastal area of the Alpes-Maritimes department, extending from the rock formation Massif de l'Esterel to Menton, at the France–Italy border, although some other sources place the western boundary further west around Saint-Tropez or even Toulon. The coast is entirely within the Alpes-Maritimes, a department within Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. The Principality of Monaco is a semi-enclave within the region, surrounded on three sides by France and fronting the Mediterranean. The French Riviera contains the seaside resorts of Cap-d'Ail, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Cannes, and Theoule-sur-Mer.
Princess Caroline Louise Marguerite of Monaco is Princess of Hanover by marriage to Prince Ernst August. As the eldest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, she is the elder sister of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Princess Stéphanie.
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained London Zoo, and since 1931 Whipsnade Zoo.
Fontvieille is the southernmost ward in the Principality of Monaco. It was developed by Italian engineer Gianfranco Gilardini and designed by architect Manfredi Nicoletti, between the 1970s and the 1990s.
A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern zoo or zoological garden.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. In 2012, Cap Ferrat was named the second most expensive residential location in the world after Monaco.
Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi is the elder son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband Stefano Casiraghi. He is the eldest grandchild of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and American actress Grace Kelly. Casiraghi is currently fourth in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne, following his twin cousins and his mother.
Dame Virginia Anne McKenna is a British stage and screen actress, author, animal rights activist, and wildlife campaigner. She is best known for the films A Town Like Alice (1956), Carve Her Name with Pride (1958), Born Free (1966), and Ring of Bright Water (1969), as well as her work with the Born Free Foundation.
Paignton Zoo is a zoo in Paignton, Devon, England. The zoo was started as a private collection by avid animal collector and breeder, Herbert Whitley, in the grounds of his home Primley House. It was opened to the public on a number of occasions, originally as Primley Zoological Gardens, and closed twice due to disputes with the tax authorities. The commercialisation of the zoo came when animals and attractions were relocated from Chessington Zoo during World War II, and the site was named as Devon's Zoo and Circus
A zoo is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
The Zoological Garden, Alipore is India's oldest formally stated zoological park and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers 18.811 ha. It is probably best known as the home of the Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita, who was reputed to have been over 250 years old when he died in 2006. It is also home to one of the few captive breeding projects involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Kolkata, it draws huge crowds during the winter season, especially during December and January. The highest attendance till date was on January 1, 2018 with 110,000 visitors.
Monaco and the United States exchanged consular officials soon after the end of the U.S. Civil War. The first consul from Monaco to the US was Louis Borg, who presented his credentials in May 1866.
Matéo Mornar is a French sculptor of contemporary art. He lives and works in the Principality of Monaco.
William Morell Lindon Travers is an English director, writer, broadcaster and animal rights activist. He is president of the Born Free Foundation, Born Free USA and Species Survival Network. He is the son of English actors and wildlife campaigners Bill Travers (1922–1994) and Virginia McKenna, and nephew of actress Linden Travers.
Holy See–Monaco relations are bilateral relations between the Principality of Monaco and the Holy See. The principal Monégasque official is Ambassador Claude Giordan, who officially started at his position in November 2015. The Holy See is represented by its Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Arcari, who assumed office on May 25, 2019. The Embassy of Monaco to the Holy See is located in Rome, on Largo Spinelli. The Apostolic Nunciature to Monaco is non-residing as the nuncio currently resides in Rome.