The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-14
VALUABLEW ILDANIMALS
Big Prices Paid BY Some Of the
Great Hena6eriss.
Wild Animals OF Every Species Grow
Ing Rarer-The Central Park Zoo
Incomplete and Not Enough
Money to Add to II.

Speaking Of what he hoped to add 10
the Central park menagerie In the near
future. says the New York Times. Super
intendent Conklin said recently that but
few valuable animals are given to zoolog-
ical gardens in this country as they are
abroad, for public interest in 'zoos" here
Lays far behind the popular enthusiasm
taken in similar collections throughout
| Europe. All rare animals for this menag-
erie must be purchased out of the an
nual appropriation Of $4,000, which
must also pay the keepers, buy food for
the animals and keep b buildings In re-
pair and the grounds in order. The New
York menagerie is one Of the four i'm the
world opened free 10 the public. The re-
manning three are at Vienna, Paris and
Chicago. The one Mt Vienna is supported
by the emperor and is in the castle
grounds.
Mr.. Conklin is very anxious 10 secure a
mate for the double horned ~rhinoceros,
but "a most serious obstacle TO his making
the purchase Of a very fine one offered In
Bremen for 5000 is the present tariff of
~ per cent ON imported animals. This
would add another $1,000 to the cost and
make the immediate purchase Of the ami
NAL impossible. This menagerie has no
giraires. The only pair owned by n no
illogical garden in thisc country is at Gin
cinnati. A good specimen of the giraffe
about two years old would cost $1,000,
where ten years ago could nave been
bought for 500 or 800. They have been
growing scarce of late, as is the case with
all North African animals. Mr.. Conklin
said that zebras, which ten years ago
could he bought for 500 or 800, now cost
$1,000. One could scarcely give away a
lion ten years ago. but to-day males are
scarce at 81 1000 each. The ostrich has re-
manned unchanged in prices as have all
animals brought into doInestication. A
pair is now worth $500. The kangaroo
has changed hut little in value.
The war between the English and the
mahdi not only drove the animals fur
Their into the interior, but destroyed the
posts where those who captured the ani-
mails brought and sold them TO the agents.
These agents then waited until enough
were captured 10 form n caravan, when
they started for the coast OF the Red sea
aud there shipped the animals to Mar
settles and from there to Bremen. The
animals from India, Australia, Ceylon,
and the East Indian islands are sent To
dealers In London and Liverpool.
The areas inhabited 10y wild animals
are growing less all over the wor al, and
Superintendent Conklin thought il not at
all improbable that i'm 200 years the me-
nageries would contain all the wild ami
mails in existence, The great aux, n bird
living in Artic regions and resembling the
penguin has become extinct within the
last 10 years. IL eggs were nutritious and
highly priced by the sailors. OF the 80 or
90 known ~varities of deer the menageric
here OWLS but seven, and the superinten-
lent is very anxious TO increase this num-
Der.
Speaking of the ~menageries i'm other
countries, Mr.. Conklin said that Germany
was the only country where the "zoo' was
run as n commercial enterprise. The
London geological garden is the largest m
the world, and after that comes the one at
Amsterdam. The New York menagerie
ranks fourth or fifth. The geological gar
lens of this country in order of their i'm
p~ortance are those at Philadelphia, New
York, Cincinnati, Chicago and Washing
ton. The government has recently APP
%propriated $4,000 for the purchase
of grounds and Sl50,OO for animals
Ia stock the menagerie in WASH
ington. There are no Zoos" in Canada,
Germany has about twenty, England four
and France three. The fine collection
that belonged 10 the king Of Italy was sold
at his death. aud one of the elephants be-
longs Ia the Central park menagerie. Hol-
land has three large mcnageries, Austria
and Hungary have one each. Russia has
one at ~. Petersburg and one al Moscow,
India has one at Calcutta n one now
building AT Bombay. Australia has five,
china has one. and on Ccylon and many
East India islands there are collections Of
local animals. la Switzerland bear pits
are very numerous.