The association's premises are located near the Espace Zoologique de Saint Martin la Plaine but are not open to the public. The refuge was created and is managed by the zoo, which finances a large part of the daily costs. The aim of the association is to:
Whether entrusted by circus owners or by the authorities following seizures for mistreatment or illegal detention, more than twenty tigers have been taken in by the refuge. The “animal welfare” law which puts an end to the presence of wild animals in circuses from December 2028 requires anticipation work to plan for the reception of many felines in the years to come.
Since 2008, the association has collected around sixty lions, lionesses and lion cubs, mainly from circuses. Several lion cubs were illegally detained by individuals. Some lions have benefited from the best possible placements, as a group of 4 lion cubs and a group of 4 adult lions were placed in a sanctuary in South Africa between 2019 and 2022.
Since the end of 2021, the enthusiasm of individuals for the Serval has become a real tragedy for this species. By wanting ever more wild domestic cats with a particular coat color, individuals encourage the trafficking of Serval, which is sold illegally as a cat of the 'Savannah' breed, a hybrid resulting from the cross between a domestic cat and a Serval.
A totally unnatural hybridization made for profit and to which we firmly oppose.
As with the Serval, the species has been the subject of significant trafficking since 2022 because many individuals believe they can keep this wild species as a domestic cat. Fortunately in France, its possession is prohibited, like that of the Serval, the lion or the tiger.
The efforts of the authorities and public education have made it possible to reduce the number of primates taken into care in recent years. In particular, the reception of Barbary Macaques has declined significantly since the creation of the association in 2008. At the time, these animals were brought illegally from North Africa, to be used as pets by individuals. Fortunately today, this species is less impacted, but we still sometimes take care of capuchins or marmosets, some species of which are greatly threatened.
Our refuge has welcomed striped hyenas, panthers, dingoes, birds and reptiles. The care of other species, apart from felines and primates, depends on the space available in our facilities or that available within the Zoological Space, which has aviaries and a vivarium that can accommodate certain animals.
