The flora we encounter at the Park today is the result of years of careful selection: the botanical species and their arrangement have been thoughtfully chosen to accommodate the needs of the animals, the public, and the environment.
Many of the stimuli that an animal needs in a controlled environment come from the décor of its enclosure, the opportunity to interact with the natural elements in its space, and from enacting a range of behaviors for which plants are indispensable (climbing, picking a fruit, hiding, thermoregulation…).
The type of vegetation in aviaries and adjacent spaces is also studied to reconstruct the significant elements of the species’ own habitat.
Berries, buds, resins, leaves and fruits supplement the diet of many zoo animals, while odors can be an important environmental enrichment for them: several plants have been introduced in specific spots for the resources they can offer.
Others, however, act as visual barriers to allow privacy and security, or have been included because they are functional for the installation of games, snack stations, nesting platforms or other service facilities.
Vegetation also welcomes the visitor to a more comfortable environment: it protects in summer from sun and heat, or from wind and weather in the bad season.
Colors and scents, clean air, a feeling of well-being. And many special species to represent different habitats, biomes and geographical regions!
