We continue our series with Frédérick, technical services and operations manager of the new Vincennes Zoo, amourous spectator of diversity and animal beauty.

Frédérick, who has always been an animal-lover, had the good fortune to become technical services and operations manager at Vincennes Zoo, just outside Paris, at Bouygues Energies & Services, our subsidiary in charge of site maintenance and cleaning of the park. With his team of nine technicians, he is responsible for keeping the pools clean and makes sure that they are at the right temperature. “A two-degree variation will kill our dendrobate frogs.” Another responsibility is to inspect the locks on the enclosures to ensure that no animal ever comes face to face with keepers or visitors.

Every day, Frédérick finds out a little bit more about the animals. “I love wildlife documentaries and thought I was already pretty well-informed, but I know much more now from spending time with them. You can learn as much from listening to the head keepers as from an eight-hour documentary”, he laughs. With the zoo staff, they also share happy times like the birth of Douzy, the baby giraffe, this summer.

Frédérick feels privileged: “It’s like being a VIP visitor. Once, I found myself just a couple of feet away from a white rhinoceros. There was a safety wall between us, but being so close to such a rare animal was a really moving experience.”