The Citadel zoo in Besançon (Doubs) has just lost its last lion.
Hélios, an endangered Asian lion, was discreetly transferred to the PAL in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre (Allier), both an animal park and an amusement park.
The beast, born in captivity, will find three females there as part of the European reproduction program for Asian lions.
Read also Besançon: an Asian lioness, an endangered species, dies at the museum
Anne Vignot, EELV mayor of Besançon, was initially congratulated on the departure of Hélios.
The chosen one does not hide, in fact, her wish to see the citadel zoo get rid of some of its wild animals, including wild animals, which she considers, along with other specialists, too cramped. in the constrained enclosures of the building designed by Vauban.
Cost of transport in South Africa: 20,000 euros
This decision, however, provoked the anger of animalist associations in the region.
Humanimo, who had previously organized demonstrations in front of the Citadel to protest against the living conditions of the animals, is surprised that Helios is sent to an "amusement park" attracting 370,000 visitors.
Above all, Athénas, in L'Étoile (Jura), an association specializing in the protection of local species, is surprised that the proposal she had made to the City was not received.
Athénas proposed that Helios be transported to a sanctuary in South Africa, which remains to be built, under conditions of semi-freedom.
The town hall did not fail to recall that the estimated cost of transport was 20,000 euros at the charge of the community, while noting that the arrival of an Asiatic lion in Africa seemed to him of little relevance ...
