The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-25
WORDS OF WARNING.
The Danger Of Handling Wild Animals
Clearly Pointed Out.


To THR EDITOR or TUE NEWS:
Sm-The account in your issue OF the 18th
inst. OF tne narrow escape OF Superintendent
Hathaway OF Roger Williams Park from pose
ibls death from being bitten by the young
hyena. should point a lesson OF warning 10
thosp who may houshilessly put themselves
In danger. There are mono Of the AN sa,s In
the collection at the Park that are absolutely
safe 20 handle because none Of thom have
boou trained for exhibition in handling. The
keeper. Mr.. Monroe. whose practical expert
ence OF wild animals covers several years.
knows enough Of the natures and. habits OF
them to not indulge in any undue familiarity
with thom, and IL others officially connected
with the Park have heretofore escaped injury
during their public exhibitions OF so-called
feaIlessness, they have only 70 thank their
good fortune.
As n matter Of fact Superintendent Hatha-
way has been repeatedly warned of the risk
he has taken and that some day he would
certainly get nipped.
his official capacity AZ SUPERINTENDENT Is not
appreciated by the animals and hence he IL
Just likely TO be bitten as any one else.
his not being afraid of wild animals does
not insure him against being bitten when bs
puts his hand in the mouth of dhe Lion.
limited knowledge Of the dispositions Of
wild beasts ana Of their ways. fortified by q
little common sense, ought 10 inspire caution
instead Of foolish bravado.
The young hyena while unusually intelligent
and d0cile, Is still hyena, and under certain
circumstances and conditions would readily
be transformed from docile pet, to n fero-
oious " lid beast, whose .erooity would appall
every bebolder. and for this reason;
All wild animals are lovers of "warm
blood," their taste is exceedingly acute, the
taste II "warm blood arouses at once all the
blood thirsty ferooity OF their natures and
many man has lost his life, or become per.
manently MANNED because while fooling
with them the skin has been punctured, tho
blood started. ana tasted by the beast. who
will naturally proceed to eat his unfortunate
human friend.
There Is however. another feature Of this
playing with the animals at the Park which
suggests.this thought.
Among the visitors at the menagerie are
maDy thoughiless persons OF both sexes, who
have repeatedly been seen trying to do just
the same things they have seen done hy
superintendont Hathaway
animal there. Thoy say why il the sursIin
tendent can do that can, he don't know any
more about animals than do. anybody can
pet them. Within few days u woman whose
husband ana child were with her, was heard
to say that she did not fear to put her arms
around the young lions neck, and that she
would like to try it because the superintend.
ent played with the, big lions she did not fear
to have a romp with the baby lion.
All this Of course WAS Lense ignorance on
her part. On another occasion three young
fellows moro or less .nder iho influences of
liquor. came into the animal house and one
of them seemed determined so get over the
rail and put his hands upon tho lion Palm
and would have done so had he not beon
restrained 10y his two friends.
lie eontended that he bad seon tho superb.
tendent do the same thing, and he could do
II himself.
True he might have done ID without harm,
but tho chances are he would have been hurt.
The example of the superintendent IL
unquestionably bad ia shat his exhibitions OF
familiarity with the animals nas finally b ,sn
disastrous TO him and inspired q reckless
desire in others to emulate mis- example.
1t is indeed fortunate that no one has been
injured before.
In tho acoount OF tbe"nsrrow escape IL
says that "Mr Hathaway has played with
the animal many times" This is misleading
because AS a matter Of fact the young hyena
has never been friendly TO him. Mr.. Hathaway
ought to know the reason why. and the byena
certainly does. Young animals remember
kind treatment Us we'll Gs harsh usage, and
that AIR. Hathaway may not be in doubt bs
TO tho meaning OF tho term ''harsh usage"
as applied in this case, the writer would ask
him il ba has forgotten the day when ne bsst
the young hyena over the head. Tho young
animal mover knew what the beating was for
but wi hout doubt, it never forgot il. and
would never thereafter permit any familiar.
Ivy. ID. 5. MOORE.