WILD BEASTS IN DEMAND

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1921, Page 3

WILD BEASTS IN DEMAND

(By T. C. Bridges). LONDON, Nov. 1

If any one market was knocked endways by the war it was that in wild animals. The “Zoos” had all they could do to feed what they had in their cages; menageries went out of business altpgether; and as for private collectors, they nearly all gave up their collections.

To-day there is a great revival. The “Zoos” and menageries are restocking private collectors have come hack into the market, public parks are buying quantities of swans, wild ducks, and other water fowl, and there is besides :• entirely new demand—that from the ::.iema companies.

The latter use an amazing number of animals of all sorts. They buy dogs, monkeys, snakes, and birds, and hire larger animals such as elephants, camels, and even lions and wolves. Other customers arc found in doctors and men of science. The immense strides which inoculation lias lately made have increased the demand for monkeys, guinea-pigs, and similar nnilfials, while researches into poisons and anti-venemows serums cause a constant

inquiry for snakes. j There is a general impression that alien a ‘Zoological society requires wild animals it. sends out an expedition to i find and trap them. This belief is quite 1 erroneous. The expedition which the authorities of the London “Zoo” recently sent to New Guinea to search for , humming birds is the only one of its j kind. The whole trade in wild animals is in the hands of a few dealers. j

The dealer sits in his office ill Lon- j don, Liverpool, or New York, and lias his agents in South Africa, India, or Brazil. To them he cables his requirements and they—through other smfiller agents up country—do their best to fill tlie orders. Certain creatures which are always in request, such as parrots, small monkeys, nvndavats, and snakes, | they collect without special orders and ship as opportunity arises. ] I called yesterday at Hie headquarters of Mr John Hnmlyn, one of the principal English dealers, and as I sat down in his office a messenger brought a telegram from a menagerie owner: “Have you a giant rat?” !

The giant rat is a native of Brazil, and Mr Hanilyn, not having • one in stock, wired back offering a porcupine and several other denizens of the cages in tlie lower store.

The store in itself is a “Zoo” on a small scale. Here are hundreds of birds of all sorts, from a Mogador limiting falcon at £5 to black-headed inanakins at 5s each, as well as a great variety of animafs.

A young male dromedary was on sale for £65 and an African lioness at £l5O. A Chapman’s zebra was priced at £l5O and a Smith African hunting dog at £35. i Should your tastes run to reptiles, von could buy claw-footed frogs at £1 apiece, or starred lizards at £2. Texas rattlesnakes were priced at £4 each and deadly Cerates vipers at a similar price. But there is no market so unstable ns that in wild creatures. No price list bolds good for more than a fortnight, and while lately giraffes have been sell- ( ing as low as £SOO, if you should want one next month the price might be half ns much again. i