ZOOS IN WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 June 1938, Page 9

ZOOS IN WAR

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST AIR RAIDS. Even zoos authorities in London are planning air raid precautions. They are afraid a stray bomb might turn loose the deadly snakes, the lions, and the tigers to provide new dangers for the rest of the city. “We had a certain amount of excitement during air raids in the Great War," a zoo official said, “but fortunately no bombs actually fell inside the zoo. “The nearest thing to a catastrophe occurred one night when some spent fragments of shrapnel rained down upon the rockwork of the Mappin terraces (artificial cliffs built for the mountain goats and sheep). This scared the mountain sheep and ibex, and for some time the frightened animals paced wildly over the rocks. But none jumped out.” To keep their large assortment of venomous snakes from being turned loose accidentlly, the zoo’s directors are considering having splinter-proof steel shutters installed so they could be slid across the heavy plate-glass fronts of the cages. Some animal lovers have been worried about protecting the animals against gas. But zoo officials say there is no use trying. A local air raid precautions officer has been consulted, one of the officials stated, “but the fact is there is very little we can do. “None of the animals would tolerate any sort of gas mask,” he said. “Not even the chimpanzees, who take their tea at a table like children and- learn to wear caps and other articles, would keep masks over their faces.” What really worries the staff is the danger of high explosives that might wreck cages and let enough wild beasts escape to populate a jungle roaming about in London. There are two tunnels and a couple of other concreted underground shelters that the staff could use. As far as keeping the animals under control goes, they are putting their trust in quick work by the keepers. Every available man will be put on duty in case of a raid. But there still is a good chance of some peaceful Londoner meeting a cobra or a lion in his front garden if a few well-placed bombs ever land in or near the zoo.