Preserving threatened species and habitats

Dear difteur-ses, Did you know that cancer causes more than 10 million deaths a year and affects more and more people... But humans are not alone: many animal species also develop this disease... to very different degrees. Researchers are particularly interested in large animals. In theory, the more cells an organism possesses, the more it should be exposed to cancer. Yet large species such as elephants and whales are no more affected. This paradox suggests that they have resistance mechanisms that are still mysterious... and potentially rich in lessons for the future of medicine. Thanks to you, this is precisely what Crystal Morin, a Beauval Nature PhD student, is studying, in partnership with LIENSs - CNRS / La Rochelle University. In collaboration with various zoological parks, including ZooParc de Beauval, her thesis aims to: ▪️ Create a database to identify the least susceptible species, ▪️ Analyze blood samples from different animals, in search of anticancer molecules, ▪️ Study DNA mutations to understand how certain species limit their occurrence. Let's remember that research is a collective adventure... where nature itself could inspire us with novel solutions against cancer.

Dear supporters, Thanks to your support we have welcomed a record number of animals to the Beauval Nature Care Center: 521 boarders welcomed in 1 month! To give you an idea: ▪️ By May 2024, we had taken in 277 animals. ▪️ Our previous record was June 2024, with 443 animals. Suffice to say, May 2025 was a particularly intense month for our teams! We hope that this peak of activity is simply ahead of schedule this year, and that June, usually the busiest month, won't break this new record. Here's a photo of one of our latest arrivals, a forest cat!