EXHIBITS VALUED AT £25,000.

Shannon News, 7 April 1926, Page 3

EXHIBITS VALUED AT £25,000.

' London, March 2. Yesterday was stocktaking day at the Zoo, ilv on January Ist m every year the curators arc busv valuing their charges of which tllc J * Q taken a census on the previous day. On the last day of 1925 the sisted of 3500 animals, and was y este day valued at almost exactly The latter figure —one required r __ Zoological Society’s annual accounts is somewhat misleading, as it does not represent the full value ot tk many of which are unsaleable or ir plaeeabl'e and is merely an cstimatc of the sum the Society would expec to receive if forced to dispose of the animals. It is by no means easy to nrri vc at a correct valuation of a wild animal tl apart from its condition, innumerable facts connected with its history such as its age, average Icn f t l o± l^ in captivity and m the wild state, hav e to bo taken into consideration. T lithe death rate amongst certain creatures that have only recently anived this country is comparaUvely huiv, and their “expectation oi We £ therefore, very much highti .after tJi me been six months in captivity an 1 have *ot over the various hardships incident on their capture nuc tiansp _> than it was before, whilst a veiy animal is worthless, however popular with the public. . . ~ The most valuable animal in .«>, £»> is -Indirani, the large Indian . elephant which cam’s lor her year in riding money. She is consul. arc’d to bo worth £IOOO. Next ' como» thP rhinoceros, which is priced at fh°dosely followed by the largest hippoX™ Sfemosi poplar SSffiuS! SThf mom g o““ b P u°t P they aro valued Ci the lcnv figure. This is at f fct that wten full-grown. «S&eS«s too tall to pass under fore, in the event ~ rjfio. ers rethey would be unsaleable. * S"oTt'fßo° n h{ads the W*£ the ostriches at £3O being a pool sec ond.