BB outraged at another needless death

The sixties siren’s name is inextricably linked to that of Saint-Tropez, where a major exhibition in her honour is on show in the Espace Rendezvous de Lices, and her protests have been widely publicised in the region. She is angry and “sickened” that there appears to be no will or suitable facilities to care for injured wild animals in the department.

The controversy began mid-April when a female wild boar was found two kilometres offshore swimming gamely out to sea in the direction of Corsica. A team from the sea rescue centre of Cros-de Cagnes life boat spent a good hour trying to lasso the animal to bring her on board. They had to physically hold her down for several hours until a vet could be found to give advice on how to administer a sedative to calm her down.

After all that effort the boar was put down the next day. The explanation given was that they could not risk her escaping into an urban environment, hence the decision to rescue her in the first place, and that once anaesthetised she would have had to have been kept for at least a week until the drug had worn off before being released into the wild.

The roe deer, nicknamed Bambi by the press, was legitimately shot by a game keeper “to put it out of its misery” but Bardot is incensed that no one thought to contact her foundation which could have saved the deer’s life. In her letter to the Prefect she argues that “another solution could be found” and that while there may not be facilities in “your department” to care for wild animals why was the one in the Plan de Vitrolles, three hours from Grasse in the Hautes-Alpes not contacted?

The reclusive BB’s profile is particularly high at the moment with the exhibition in Saint-Tropez that runs until 31st October. Visitors can see childhood photos, many of which have never been shown in public before, as well as footage from private films and personal effects such as a first pair of ballet shoes. One part of the display focuses on her romances, husbands and lovers.

Bardot’s main reaction to the exhibition was to insist on the finale being dedicated to her greatest love, that of animals, as she does not want people to come away thinking only of her celebrity exploits and personal life, but with images of animals being abused and mistreated firmly fixed in their heads as well.

The exhibition is open from 11am to 8pm (midnight in July and August) and costs 13 euros. CL