Plan for sanctuary for old circus lions and tigers in south-west France

The first-ever sanctuary for big cats who have retired from the circus is set to open in south-west France, as part of the gradual ending of the use of wild animals in acts nationwide.

The FCWS (French Captive Wildlife Sanctuary) sanctuary will open in Mézos, Landes (Nouvelle-Aquitaine).

It will aim to offer ‘a retirement home’ for big cats - including lions, tigers, and leopards - with living conditions as close to their natural habitat as possible.

The €2.5 million project has been funded 80% by the French Ministry for Ecological Transition, and 20% by animal welfare association the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.

The sanctuary will aim to give the animals a “haven of peace” in which they can end their lives "in the best possible conditions”. It will also aim to rehabilitate the younger big cats “to semi-liberty…so they can be released into parks and sanctuaries in their countries of origin”.

Circus cats

It is thought that most of the sanctuary’s animals will come from travelling circuses. 

There are still hundreds of wild animals owned and used in circuses across France, despite the government’s continued legislation to gradually outlaw their use. They will be banned completely by 2028, and gradually reduced before then. 

Read also: France unveils 'gradual' ban on circuses with animals 

This has led to questions about what will happen to these animals after they can no longer be used by circus owners. A June 2023 report by Senator Anne Chain-Larché deplored the fact that “to date, there is still no serious support plan for circus professionals” or the animals.

“We estimate that there will be between 400 and 600 animals to place in the years to come, but there are still no places to place them in France,” said Michael Cardinel, chairman of Big Cats, the association behind the project, to Le Figaro. “The aim now is to find a rapid solution for animals waiting to be placed.”

In June, the first 11 big cats will arrive at the FCWS. They are all from the same circus. “We can't wait any longer because the situation of some of the animals is deteriorating,” said Mr Cardinel.

Read also: Wild animals to be banned from shows in France – where will they go?
Read also: Fear for circus animals’ lives after France wild animal ban 

From Cameroon to Landes

The site in Mézos was chosen because it offered several advantages, said Mr Cardinel.

“We needed a fairly large plot of land, with a terrain that met the specific requirements for big cats: grassy plains, a marshy area, water, slopes, surface area and scope for expansion.”

The site is also 1.6 km away from its nearest neighbour, which should "ensure the tranquillity of the animals and the neighbourhood”, he said.

Mr Cardinel is a former soldier, and specialises in anti-poaching, which he worked on particularly in the Bouba Ndjida national park in Cameroon. 

"It was during those long months spent in the bush in contact with the locals, hunters, conservationists and, of course, big cats, that I learnt to love and respect them,” he said. “That's why I want to help them today.”

At first, three hectares of land will be dedicated to the animals, but organisers soon plan to acquire 30 hectares.

The park will be designed for the wellbeing of the big cats, and not for their appeal as entertainment, so the site will be closed to the public for all but seven days a year.

Endangered species

The sanctuary will also aim to help conserve endangered species of big cats, if the species is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, and a host country can be found for rehabilitated animals. 

“We won't do it if we're not 100% sure we can reintroduce the animals [back to their natural habitat],” said Mr Cardinel.

The former soldier has commended other parks that are attempting to offer a solution for the circus professionals and animals who will be affected by the ban, but said that some of these places do not have large-enough enclosures and have not been designed with specific animals in mind.

The FCWS park is also aiming to open a breeding facility, to help protect and further the species even more, if it is granted permission to do so from the relevant authorities.