Tag Archives: Ecology

Visit La Garenne with us

Following World Animal Day, we wanted to present you the only address of French-speaking Switzerland for wild animals in distress : the Zoo of La Garenne.

The Zoo of La Garenne emerged in 1965 with the aim of making known the local fauna and teach young people to respect it. It is state-approved since 1977.

It is also a care center for wild animals : hundreds of wounded or in trouble animals are taken care every year. A part of them are looked after, then released, but if an animal remains handicaped, he is kept in the park. The majority of the present animals of the region in the park moreover arise from the care center.

The Zoo of La Garenne also participates in several national programs of reintroduction of wild species. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and donators, it was able to be renovated and enlarged between 2013 and 2016.

Here are some of its boarders : all these animals are present in Switzerland, although it is not all native species.

loup - wolf - Wolf - lupo

loup – wolf – Wolf – lupo

vautour moine - black vulture - Mönchsgeier - avvoltoio nero

vautour moine – black vulture – Mönchsgeier – avvoltoio nero

gypaète barbu - bearded vulture - Lämmergeier - gipeto

gypaète barbu – bearded vulture – Lämmergeier – gipeto

bouquetin - ibex - Steinbock - stambecco

bouquetin – ibex – Steinbock – stambecco

sanglier - boar - Wildschwein - cinghiale

sanglier – boar – Wildschwein – cinghiale

renard roux - red fox - Rotfuchs - volpe rossa

renard roux – red fox – Rotfuchs – volpe rossa

raton-laveur - racoon - Waschbär - procione

raton-laveur – racoon – Waschbär – procione

ragondin - coypu - Biber - topo di fogna

ragondin – coypu – Biber – topo di fogna

milan royal - red kite - rote Milan - nibbio reale

milan royal – red kite – rote Milan – nibbio reale

hibou Grand-Duc - eagle owl - Uhu - gufo reale

hibou Grand-Duc – eagle owl – Uhu – gufo reale

Shhhhhh !

chouette effraie - barn owl - Schleiereule - barbagianni

chouette effraie – barn owl – Schleiereule – barbagianni

The lynx and the badger had decided to hide the day of our visit ; instead of their photos, we offer you the image of two garden wildcats :
two garden wildcats

October 4th is World Animal Day

Tomorrow, it’s World Animal Day !

Zorro on World Animal Day 2016
The first purpose of this day is to improve the status of animals to improve their living conditions and their welfare in the world.

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World Animal Day in Switzerland

  • Qualipet collects material for pets to give it to shelters, in association with the Susy Utzinger Foundation.
  • The annual collection “Give the paw” of Maxi Zoo (French) / Fressnapf (German) will help the operation “Homes of life in Switzerland” from ProTier – Foundation for the animal protection and the ethics, as well as the “Fund for old and difficult to place pets” of the Swiss Animal Welfare this year.
  • Several food brands as well as Coop support the Swiss Protection of Animals PSA by giving 10 centimes by product sold between October 4th to 15th.

Are you aware of other actions in Switzerland ?
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You too, get involved !

  • Sponsor an animal with an organization of animal welfare.
  • Give time to an organization of animal welfare to have an information booth.
  • Organize a collection for an association or a shelter.
  • Donate to an organization or a shelter.
  • Give food or material to a shelter.
  • Give time to a shelter to walk dogs or do some cleaning (not only this day, but long-term).
  • Thank the staff of a refuge, your veterinarian, or quite different person who contributes to the well-being of animals.
  • Make your balcony or your garden welcoming for the wild life.

Do you want other ideas ? Visit the World Animal Day official website.

Earth Day

Pixie celebrates Earth Day 2016
PIXIE : Zorro, what are you doing in our kitchen garden?
ZORRO : I’m pooping…
PIXIE : ! ? !
ZORRO : I celebrate Earth Day (as every morning, moreover) : you know, recycling, composting, organic eating, all these things… It’s as well for it that I hunt birds and mice : no packaging, no waste !
Zorro celebrates Earth Day 2016
Some humans over-exploit and manhandle our planet, and other, more and more numerous, try at best to protect it.

What already does Claire for the Earth ?

  • she buys local
  • she limits packagings
  • she eats seasonal produce
  • she eats few red meat (0-1x a week), poultry (3-5x a week), and few fish (0-1x a week)
  • she sorts out her waste and recycles all which is recyclable : glass, PET, paper, cardboard, iron, aluminum, wood…
  • she composts plant waste
  • she uses bags, bottles, … reusable several times
  • she replaced the former bulbs by LED or economic bulbs
  • she has devices of energy category A+ or A++ and she replaces them after 10 years
  • she switches off completely the unused electric devices
  • she washes the laundry in the most low-temperature possible
  • she warms the rooms up to 19 C only
  • she uses the staircase if there are only two or three floors to go up
  • she does not buy new clothes every month
  • she closes the faucet while she soaps or while she brushes his teeth

If everybody lived like Claire, would be needed all the same 2,2 planets to live. She could make an effort in the field of transport, by going from time to time to work by bike (16 km) instead of taking the car ; it would also be necessary to think of making an outside insulation of the house (1955) to improve its energy efficiency (but that’s expensive !).
Earth Day 2016
Big actions are spectacular, but we are convinced that small individual actions are much more effective on the long term. You will find several ideas on WWF website or on earthday.org.

Test your ecological footprint too, and share one of your eco-friendly gesture with us in comments !