BRITAIN’S NEW ZOO

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1931, Page 7

BRITAIN’S NEW ZOO

A 500-ACRE PARK

LONDON, June 5. Whipsnade, the world’s largest zoo, was opened to the public at the Whitsun week-end. Three years ago Whipsnade was a remote farm on the downlands of Dunstable; now it is the home of hundreds of wild animals—bears, bisons, wolves, wild horses—all living under natural conditions, free to roam at will in their compounds. Wolves run about at random in a small forest of giant pine trees. The Himalayan bears build their own nests in the tree-tops with the bracken and branches from the downs. Lions were smuggled into Whipsnade under cover of night a few weeks ago, but they were given splendid quarters in a compound, but they set about pulling tne place to bits—the chalk sub-soil was too delicate for their claws—and now they must wait until the sides of their compound have been faced with concrete. The place, which is 500 acres in extent, is the property of the Zoological Society of London, and the profits of the London Zoo made its construction possible. Tt is admirably planned for visitors. There is a ear park for 1000 cars, good paths, excellent restaurants, and refreshment kiosks in many parts of the grounds, beautiful flower gardens, and even a. large area specially reserved for picnic parties,

Inadequate Conveyances

On more than ono occasion has the first invitation to a London crowd to visit a public place led to chaos. Transport arrangements, catering, or other arrangements break down. The authorities learn their lesson and in due course things are put right. Whit Monday was a beautiful day and 28,(XX) people actually entered the grounds of the new Zoo. They travelled in motor-cars, motor-omnibuses, and motor-coaches. They packed into trains crowded to suffocation —only to find in many cases when they reached Luton that the means of continuing their journey by road were totally inadequate. Every conveyance, motor or otherwise, in the neighbourhood was brought into use. The countryside was scoured for antiquated horse brakes, waggonettes, and Victorias; and still there was not room for a qiuarter oi the visitors. Thousands of the public therefore, walked anything from six to nine miles over the downs on their pilgrimage to Whipsnade. So great, indeed, was the rush that, soon artei noon, railway hookings from London to Luton were suspended by order of the police authorities. It is the first time for many year* that any such step lias had to he taken. There were protests from the crowd against being “herded like cattle,” and many tempers were badly frayed. Angry visitors declared that a railway station should be built near the Zoo entrance to cope with the crowd.

Room for 250,000 Visitors

Dr. Vevers, Superintendent of the London Zoo stated, in an interview, that the crowd hud behaved extraordinarily well for the most part, and the animals seemed to welcome the visjoti’a, “In spite of the vast crowds today,” he “there has been ample room in the Zoo ) and we could receive 250,00 U visitors without the slightest congestion. Feeding for such a crowd is however, a huge problem, and it is hardly to be wondered at that occasionally the catering broke down for a short time and further lorry loads of food had to be sent for,”