WINTER AT THE SYDNEY ZOO

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 262, 24 July 1918, Page 8

WINTER AT THE SYDNEY ZOO

STKAMPJPES FOR SNAKES. J In Sydney, whero the water froze in ' suburban water-taps during the recent { cold spoil, and fowls are reported to have ! iicen seen ice-skating over their drinking ' vessels in a vain search for water, the ' crocodile, at the Taronga, Park 200 has ! to have an electric radiator in his den, according to the Sydney "Daily Tele- ' graph." At the Perth Zoo the water ( used comes up with the chill off from a s bore, and hence it is easy to give the ( crocodile a warm b-nth. The Melbourne ' 7,00 has no crocodile at present, but the alligator, which represents the family, sets along very comfortably without any artificial aids. ' But then (ho alligator took the precaution to line himself well J for the winter. There were a couple of smaller alligators at the Zoo which were ; put with him for company, and some time ago he swallowed them "one niter the c other. h

lho Sydney snakes have an electric radiator, too, and in Melbourne soma of tho tropical-snakes, the pythons and others, have their lodging'warmed by steam pipes. They are the only inmate's of the Zoo who enjoy this luxury. Somo of the monkeys used to have their house warmed at one time, but it -was found that this made them very liable to pneumonia, and other ills, anil now they have to set along without artificial warm Mi. While most of the monkeys look rather miserable this wenther. "Molly," the imuijj-outang, makes herself fairly eoiniortnble in her winter costume," which consists of several bugs, the number varying according to Ihe severity of the cold. OTie above the other Molly has been at the Zoo for 15 years, and she knows more than a thing or Iwo. Not only does she (Ires* according lo the season, bntsliehns been known (0 light one cigarette at the stump of another, to the amazement of Mr. Ie Sonef and Moine friends, who saw the feat; she can drive a nail ns well as a man, and belter than most women, and can open r>, lemonade bottle- in the most approved fashion. The baby hipnonotuimis seems to thrive in spile of the cold, and he and his mother spend most of their time in the water, possibly in .order lo keop out of the wind. As for the Polar bears they appear to find Mr. Hunt's "Antarctic" depression an acceptable substitute fn- the weather of their native Arctic, and look particularly happy. "