Asson Zoo, Wildlife park in Asson, France.
Asson Zoo covers five hectares at the foot of the Pyrenees and holds about 500 animals of roughly 100 species. Its grounds include a Second Empire greenhouse moved from the Villa Sainte-Hélène in Pau, a bamboo collection of some 20 species, and several hundred Chinese palms. The Asian section, Le Temple Perdu, is a walk-through tropical greenhouse where flying foxes and Manouria emys tortoises live among plants native to Asia.
The zoo was founded in 1964 as a center for wildlife education and conservation efforts. Its animal collection expanded steadily over the following decades as the park developed.
The Association zoologique d'Asson, founded in 1994, supports conservation programmes and public awareness of biodiversity. The zoo keeps around 500 animals of about 100 species, among them a white tiger born at ZooParc de Beauval that arrived on 28 October 2013 after the death of the resident Siberian tiger. A pedagogical butterfly garden opened in 2008.
The site is situated between Pau and Lourdes and is easily accessible by car. Wear comfortable shoes because you will walk quite a bit through varied terrain and see most animals by exploring different sections of the grounds.
The park features an interactive activity called Défis Nature where visitors search for clues on large nature cards positioned throughout the grounds and solve riddles. This game-like experience turns a day at the park into a kind of adventure.
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