DECAN REFUGE

The origin of this refuge lies in the limitations of Dr Bertrand Lafrance's house and garden as a shelter for injured or trafficked animals. In the early 2000s, the veterinarian, with the support of the French Ministry of the Environment and the help of the ^13th Half-Brigade of the French Foreign Legion, undertook the construction of this beautiful refuge, which today is staffed by some forty volunteers. The 30-hectare animal sanctuary, which officially opened in 2003, is home to numerous species of wildlife, some of which have been resettled or are endangered in the Horn of Africa. The Decan refuge takes in animals in distress, victims of traffickers or held illegally, before they are seized by the police. Depending on the season, cheetahs, lions, caracals, zebras, oryxes, porcupines, Somali donkeys, oryxes, African and Somali ostriches, gazelles, baboons, green monkeys, several dozen Djibouti tortoises and almost 200 species of birds can be found here. A rotunda with a suspended terrace and a refreshment bar have also been built, as well as an educational building. In 2014, the refuge was extended to include several hundred protected hectares, the Douda Nature Reserve. The Decan refuge is undoubtedly a fine initiative and a very pleasant place to walk, which we highly recommend. The refuge is run partly by paying visitors and by donations. The association also runs two exceptional eco-tourism camps in the country (Djalelo and Assamo). The Decan refuge also has a lodge that can be made available for parties.

The founder. After graduating from the Maisons-Alfort veterinary school in 1987, Dr Lafrance arrived in Djibouti in 1990 to carry out his military service, following a humanitarian mission in Afghanistan. This was followed by four years of practice in France. In 1995, he returned to Djibouti and opened the first private veterinary practice. His genuine contact with wildlife gave him a new mission. He then committed himself to the preservation of nature in all its forms and created the Décan association, which he has chaired since 2001.

The association's values. Preservation of Djibouti's endemic biodiversity by reintegrating animals that had disappeared from the region; raising awareness in schools and at the country's university; freedom ("animals rescued from poaching are cared for and released when their lives are no longer directly threatened by man"); commitment.