Never has a blue -tailed vean presented itself to the French public. So two! A couple of the species will integrate the park with crocodiles from this Thursday, August 7. This represents a challenge for zoological space, but also a chance to study this still little known animal.
“An electric blue tail, claws as blue as they are formidable, a species as mysterious as fascinating arrives very soon at the tropical reserve”can we read on the Instagram account of the crocodile farm.
But who can that be? For the past few days, the zoological space located in the Drôme has left doubt. This Monday, August 4, the management puts an end to the suspense: a couple of blue -in -laws will integrate the reptile team from Thursday, August 7. “It is never represented in France, it will be a first”rejoices the director of Parc Samuel Martin, who wonders even if the species is visible in a park in Europe.
In the tropical forest of the crocodile farm, visitors could so far observe small vacuum, others of large size but never of intermediate size. They will no longer be able to say as much from Thursday.
“It is a rather unknown species”explains the director of the establishment. “We find it rather on the islands in Indonesia”, he adds, as well as in New Guinea. The two animals, a 6 -year -old male and a 5 -year -old female, lived separated from a private breeder who no longer had the space necessary to take care of it.
“It is a challenge to represent this shy and fugitive animal in the park”admits Antoine Soler, manager of the zoological pole. The blue -tailed veran is among the most complex species to keep in captivity due to its specific ecological requirements, its territorial behavior and the little documentation about it.
“They lived with the private breeder in complete confidentiality, without seeing many people. There they will arrive in a terrarium or everyone can observe them”adds Samuel Martin. The animals are lucky: Antoine Soler says that on their side of the glass, the Varans can quite find the visitors. Everything is done so that their integration is done at best.
For several days, the two animals have cohabited in a quarantine terrarium, in order to “To assess their behavior, together, and to release the stress of the trip”underlines Antoine Soler. They are in the observation phase before their introduction into the final enclosure.
“We want to learn more about the species and in particular about its reproduction”says Antoine Soler who, with his team, will be able to study the animal throughout their stay. To date, the documented reproductive cases of this species in captivity remain very rare.
“The more we will have reliable observations and data, the more we can move forward”adds the specialist. The zoological space intends to put everything that is in its power so that animals feel comfortable to live and reproduce over the years.