THE ZOO PECCARIES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 69, 18 September 1930, Page 8

THE ZOO PECCARIES

(To the Editor.)

Sir.—l notice in to-night's "Evening Post that a deputation from the S.P.C.A., after visiting the Zoo, expressed the opinion that the peccaries were undesirable animals, and they recommend the council either to destroy them or send them to some other zoo. How consistent, and considerate indeed! With your permission I should like to submit an extract from the Wellington Zoological Society's annual report for the year ending I6th September, 1023:—

"If tile first aim of genuine educationists is to educe the faculties of students as the sun elicits the vegetarian glories of the earth, then it must be admitted that the purchase of a pair of peccaries which your Emergency Committee, by contributing £15 recently, constrained the Wellington City Council to effect, was a fortunate investment in first-rate educative apparatus. A great reflective .mind like the mind of the late Thomas Carlyle would say, 'A million years these wonder--I'ul peccaries waited to be born.' A more reflective mind, allowing its wonderful faculties to be educed, might say, "The peccaries, like the day in which they live, touch an eternity which knows no beginning in thought.' The greatest human mind may find scope for thought in the mysterious peccary. But the peccary should set every other mind athinking, aiAl draw even the attention of children. How came it that, although there are many species of pigs and pig-like animals on earth, the peccary is the only species of its kind that has but three toes on each hind foot? How came it that this wonderful animal, when it was first discovered, was in what is called the Western World, and had no representative outside tho American Continent? How did the first peccaries get to that part of the world? Should the peccaries constitute a separate family—the Dicotylidae—containing but one genus—the Dicotyledes—comprising not more than two species? How and why has the stomach of the peccary been so peculiarly complicated? We highly respect, students that specialise in one department of education, but the peccary, whoso hind feet atteaet the studious atten-

tion of children, and whose other peculiarities tend to develop the faculties of the su'.ilimest thinkers, remind us that a well furnished zoo is one of the front rank educational institutions of the world. The peccaries that our Emergency Committee prompted the Wellington City Council to place in the Wellington Zoo were offered to the Curator of the Zoo. The City Council declined the offer; our committee, seeing the value of the peccaries, rose to the occasion, with advice, and an offer of assistance, and consequently the peccaries have been placed in the Zoo, where now they, in remarkably good condition, luxuriate."

Sir, in the light of this report, written just seven years ago to-day, it seems thnt tho committee of the S.P.C.A. may be likened to the immortal Peter Bell. They looked into the wonderful exhibit, and saw only pigs.—l am, etc.,

JOHN CASTLE, Ex-Secretary Wellington Zoological Society.. lOtli September.