Zoological Garden of Monaco, Monte-Carlo

The Jardin Animalier de Monaco can be found on the Esplanade Rainer III, situated in the Fontvieille neighborhood of Monaco, on the southern side of the Rock of Monaco. It was established back in 1954 by Rainier III, the Prince of Monaco. The zoo houses around 250 animals, representing approximately 50 different species.

This zoo spans over one hectare and is organized across four levels on the rocky terrain. Notably, none of the animals here were purchased; they all came through donations, were former circus performers, abandoned creatures, or were rescued from circuses. In 2009, five animals joined the zoo when the zoo at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat closed down.

In the past, the zoo used to house leopards, but these animals were eventually set free into their natural habitat thanks to the tireless efforts of Virginia McKenna, the founder of the Born Free Foundation. Two leopards named Pitou and Sirius had been confined to a relatively small enclosure with a concrete floor, measuring sixteen feet in size. McKenna made numerous visits to Monaco, making repeated pleas to Prince Rainier for the release of these leopards. Her persistence paid off when she finally secured a royal audience with Prince Albert, who had ascended to the Monegasque throne in 2005. In a significant decision, Prince Albert agreed to release the leopards to the Born Free Foundation and pledged to release the camel and hippo from the zoo at a later date. Furthermore, he promised to transform the Zoological Gardens into a petting zoo as part of these changes.