PEACE AT THE ZOO

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 22, 21 October 1919, Page 8

PEACE AT THE ZOO

WAR MORTALITY AMONG THE ANIMALS. It is possible that the. coming of peace was not welcome anywhere so fervently as at the Zoological Gardens. Food restrictions were a serious matter all over the country, but they were very badly felt in Regent's Park. So many of the animals require such fpecial diet to keep them in health, and in the black years it was frequently impossible to give them what they needed. The. consequence was, that in spite of the. greav est and most unremitting care from the officials, there was ft very high mortality. Thero was, for instance, the case of the sea-lions. Every specimen that the Zoo possessed in 1914 died during the war. It became impassible to Ret the kind of fish which they needed. All Eorts of experiments in feeding them were made, but even the expedient of pivini; t':er> horse-flesh dipped in oil was onlv a partial success. Together with the sea-lions, their coniie little conwnnions the Capo penguins suffered, and died one by one. And nt the other end of the scale, of size, the giraffes died, with bhe exception of "liaspie/' who somehow contrived to worry through the trials of the years, and is to-day as well as ever.

Tho carnivora also had_ a bad time. It was not possible to give them tho rations to which they had been accustomeei, and tli/v were obliged to do the best they could with meat of a very indifferent quality. Those that survived were in very uoor condition by tho time it became possible to give them once again {ho food they needed. 11l the reptile house the snr.kes and lizards who had been accustomed to fresh eggs and similar luxuries had to put up with considerable privations, and suffered.accordingly. Early in this year—whether on account of war rations or not is uncertain— Georgina. the tortoise, whose age was said to bo 250 years, died very suddenly. But the ending of the war made an immediate .and happy change. Tho gradual passing of transport difficulties has made it possible to fill many of tho gaps which were made. During the past few months, new and fascinating animals have been arriving almost daily. Dutch naturali Is in particular are busily supplying Ihe deficiencies, and providing new attract ions for our great collection. Among tho recent arrivals are. five ser.-lion- who are already thoroughly at home in their pond. Fourteen Cape penguins came with fliem, and are gradually settling down do the business of entertaining the visitors. During the month of June there were no fewer than 355 additions lo the population of the gardens, including two fine cheetahs, and a really admirable hippopotamus.

Altogether the Zoo is beginning to forget that there ever was a war. It was a bad time while it lasted, and—aitlinn"h it 11111 st be remembered tilunt in so large and representative a collection of animals Ihe mortality rate must always be n. serious difference for a time. But every day sees improvements now. nnd Dr. Chalmers Mitchell and his assistants are full of plans for increasing ili« attractiveness of the gardens..

The Mappin terraces in particular are In a verv haii'iv condition, and the effort of tihe 2ihi authorities is consistent 1 )' i'i the 'lirection of housing the a" : "'e|s in co"ditions and surrouiuliii".s which resemble as nearly 11s possible lh"ir natural homes—London "Observer."

After thirty-eigTft ve.nr-' s-rvice with t'i" Si'icielv for (!'" Propignlion of tho Gospel, the Kev, E. 11.I 1 . Skeloliley is refiigmni; the position of senior assistantST.retary. Between his ordination in 1K72 and his appointment to the R.P.G. i" ,r SI Mr. SkrlehW had a varied cxlls n enrole in Wiltshire and Nottinghamshire, mid as incumbent of St. John's,' Aberdeen. With tho exception of these nine, years the' whole of his ministerial lifo lias been devoted to tho S.P.G.