ZEBRA IN A PANIC

Evening Star, Issue 21748, 16 June 1934, Page 5

ZEBRA IN A PANIC

A zebra at the Zoo has been on the sick list, aud bis trouble was caused by his losing his head when confronted with an unfamiliar spectacle. This animal (a mountain zebra bom in the menagerie) was sent into Ins outdoor paddock for his usual morning exercise, but the first thing he saw through the bars was a gardener bending low over bis work. Apparently, instead of recognising the stopping gardener as a harmless man, the zebra mistook him for some strange and alarming animal, for he shied violently and, uttering squeals of terror, began to career round and round the paddock, charging the surrounding barrier, the trees in the enclosure, aud even the walls of the zebra house.

Hearing the noise, the gardener stood up to stare, but the zebra went on oharging the barrier until at last lie managed to break down two stout iron bars and cut his head open. After this the keeper managed to call the terrified animal indbors; biit still his panic did not subside, and ho pranced about so wildly that the keeper began to fear he would end by breaking his neck. So he decided to try the experiment of enlisting the services of another zebra, and he sent this second animal into the paddock. The sight of his relative strolling peacefully about the paddock at once calmed the frightened zebra. He stood still, and then, becoming conscious of his injured head, .grow quiet and slay down. A quaint friendship has sprung up in the enclosure known as the Three Island Pond. This enclosure is devoted exclusively to water birds, but it is frequented by an outsider, for a cattle egret, the only faithful member of a collection of cattle egrets liberated by the Zoo last summer, makes tbe pond his headquarters. Being the only one of his kind at largo, the little egret looks forlorn, and his loneliness awoke sympathy in

the heart of a handsome sheldrake. The sheldrake began to cultivate the egret’s acquaintance, ami was frequently seen standing by his side. And then his sympathy also went out to a young maned goose, and he made friends with this bird too. Consequently by degrees the three, birds became close friends, and early in the morning and again in the evening this trio may be seen standing side by side on the edge of the pond or walking round the enclosure. But as the nesting season is at hand the sheldrake has less time for his friends. He has a mate, who must be guarded and flattered, and so while he swims proudly by her side the cattle egret is neglected., The maned goose has no mate, yet he and the egret never go about together when the sheldrake is away. Not until he leaves his mate to talk to one of his two friends does the other approach. As soon as he goes back to his mate the egret and the maned goose separate.