Be there: (re)live Sponsors’ Day at Beauval!
This Saturday, more than 260 sponsors and their companions turned out for an event organised especially for them: Sponsors’ Day! The day was dedicated to the conservation of endangered species, and we invite you to relive the event in this article.
What exactly is a sponsorship?
Sponsoring an animal at ZooParc gives you the opportunity to forge a special bond with it, whilst making a tangible contribution to the conservation of endangered species. In fact, every donation made through these sponsorships is channelled into the various biodiversity conservation programmes supported by Beauval Nature. In return, you’ll receive updates from the organisation and photos of your sponsored animal… as well as other rewards, which may vary depending on the sponsorship package you choose: a ticket to the ZooParc, a ZooPass or even a special visit with your sponsored animal. And of course, all sponsors are invited to Sponsors’ Day, which, as you’ll see, has plenty of surprises in store.
8.00 am: Welcome to the ZooParc de Beauval!
As soon as they arrived, sponsors were welcomed at the Maison Beauval Nature. Pastries, drinks… and our teams were there to greet them, ready to share a first moment of conversation and camaraderie in the shade of the tall trees. Baptiste Mulot, director of Beauval Nature, was also present to share the latest news about the organisation and the biodiversity conservation programmes it supports around the world. With their programme and goody bags in hand, the sponsors were all set to make the most of this extraordinary day!
Sponsors welcomed at the Maison Beauval Nature by Baptiste Mulot, Director of Beauval Nature
9.30 am: Kick-off for the guided tours
Four of our science guides then joined us. The aim? To accompany sponsors on a Supporter, Enthusiast or Defender package on an exclusive guided tour. Lasting over an hour and a half, the tour offered the chance to discover the many animals available for sponsorship: from giant pandas to manatees, including koalas, giraffes and elephants. It was a chance to learn some interesting facts about their sponsored animal and find out more about other fascinating species… which they might also want to sponsor!
11.15 am: A ballet of 450 birds
The next event took place in the exceptional open-air theatre of Les Maîtres des Airs. The sponsors were given access to reserved seats in the amphitheatre, which seats over 3,000 people. They were able to enjoy this marvellous spectacle of wings and colours, featuring owls, eagles, vultures, parrots, storks and pelicans. Whether attending this unforgettable event for the first, third or umpteenth time, none of the sponsors could resist the beauty of the birds.
12.30 pm: Lunch break… in a spirit of sharing and conviviality!
With lunchtime fast approaching, the sponsors were then invited to the Batéké Room, on the upper floor of the Dôme Équatorial. Gathered round sandwiches and salads, but above all united by the same passion for animals, everyone had the chance to chat and share various anecdotes about their sponsored animals.
Then came the quiz session, a chance to test the sponsors’ knowledge of the ZooParc de Beauval, its residents, as well as Beauval Nature and the programmes it supports. The most knowledgeable participants even won a special behind-the-scenes tour to meet our Indian rhinos or our African savannah elephants!
Guided tour to discover the sponsored animals, such as the golden monkeys shown here
2.00 pm: Meet at the farm with Rodolphe Delord
Sponsors with a ‘Passionate’ or ‘Defender’ package then met up with our Chief Executive at Bucolia, our brand-new educational farm. Surrounded by donkeys, goats, sheep, turkeys and pigs, they were able to stroll along the paths of the farm whilst listening to Rodolphe Delord’s enthusiastic explanations. They even got to watch our adorable residents being fed!
4.15 pm: Time for the Q&A sessions
For this final highlight of the day, the sponsors gathered once again at the Equatorial Dome. Baptiste Mulot took the time to chat with them, answering their various questions about Beauval Nature and its work. It was also a chance to thank all the sponsors, particularly those who have shown an unprecedented commitment to the conservation of endangered species.
Antonin won the prize for the sponsor who had sponsored the most animals, Blandine for the sponsor who had attended the most Sponsors’ Days, and Sophie for the sponsor who had raised the most money through a charity collection. For this year’s event, sponsors had the opportunity to set up a charity fundraising pot by inviting their friends and family to contribute: all the money raised was then donated to Beauval Nature.
Next to speak were Marine and Noé, animal keepers at ZooParc de Beauval. As well as sharing anecdotes about the animals they work with every day, their career paths and their profession, they recounted two particular stories: their experiences of in situ conservation in the field, where their daily commitment came to life, in concrete terms, right before their eyes.
Marine, a keeper in the African Plains section, shared a few anecdotes about the character of Kiwi, the amphibious hippopotamus, the recent zebra births, and the coexistence of Satara and the other white rhinos. But she also recounted her four-month experience in Conkouati-Douli National Park alongside HELP Congo, a conservation organisation working in particular to protect chimpanzees and supported by Beauval Nature.
For his part, Noé, a keeper at the Equatorial Dome, provided further details on the personality and history of Drac the Komodo dragon, and Robert, the pygmy hippopotamus, before sharing the story of an unforgettable experience. In 2025, Noé took part in the reintroduction of 870 snails from the Désertas Islands, 70 of which were born at Beauval: a major initiative for the conservation of Geomitra grabhami, a critically endangered species.
Relive the reintroduction of the Désertas Islands snails
Q&A session with Marine, a keeper in the African Plains section
Bonus: special encounters
On 20 June, as at other times of the year, sponsors who have opted for the ‘Defender’ package can enjoy a special encounter with their sponsored animal. Included in their sponsorship benefits, this 30-minute session gives them the chance to meet one of the carers looking after their sponsored animal and learn more about its daily life, history and temperament, amongst other things.
Several sponsors took advantage of Sponsors’ Day to enjoy this special encounter with their sponsored animal:
- Antoine was able to go behind the scenes to observe Audrey, the female snow leopard, from a different perspective;
- Mélina and her mum Laurence were able to watch Kookynie – the daughter of Genoa, our female koala available for sponsorship – being weighed;
- Karem was able to help feed Suri and the whole family of Asian small-clawed otters.
And what about you? Would you like to take part in our next Sponsors’ Day and forge a special bond with your favourite animal at ZooParc? Do you want to make a real difference, alongside us, in the conservation of endangered species?
Sponsor one of our animals and become an ambassador for biodiversity!
