The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-08
NEW YORKS WILD ANIMAL
 TRADE.
Captive-Bred Animals Cause a Decline
 In Prices

With the approach of cold weather all wild animals move into their wintel quarters, and following the custom O. | their class the animals held in captivi
 their abode in warm steam heated cages prepared for them. During tht summer months many of them have been travelling about the country on eX- | hibition and others have been browsing in the numerous parks and private sum- l mer nenageries just outside of large cities. The demand for wild animals | for small parks in summer is quite general, and dealers in wild creatures make quite fair profit in renting them out during the dull season. But as win return to the cities for exhibition in their regular quarters. where an eager public is always willing to pay small fee to gaze al them.
 The trade in wild animals has been unusually brisk for several years now, and the importatons have steadily in- creased. In spite of this, however, prices instead of advancing for most of the animals have fallen; the reason for this Is attributed to the fact that expeditions for capturing wild animals in their natural homes are more numer- ous than ever before, and they are better equipped for their work than in the past. Consequently more wild anil mals of nearly every description come to the civilized countries in captivity than in the days of Nero, when im- perial Rome boasted of thousands of wild animals caged in its confines. While it is generally reported that many of our wild beasts are rapidly being exterminated it is nevertheless true that they will never become extinct so long as their kind can be bred in cap tivity. This is now an accomplished fact with nearly all of the birds and animals.
 This success of breeding in captivity is noticeable among lions in particular, and from present indications there is little danger of these felines becoming extinct The importation of lions has almost ceased because it is cheaper and easier to breed them in captivity. For merly an importer of fine lions could calculate upon getting $50O0 for good specimen, but to-day young lions bred in captivity are almost a drug in the market. The only demand for import ed lions is to keep up the stock of the breeding ones, or for very large, pow erful creatures, for it is noticeable that the tendency in breeding is for the animals to degenerate in size and fe rocity. Tigers do not take as kindly to cage life as the lions, and they do not breed so satisfactorily in captivity, and considerable numbers are imported every year. Elephants do not breed well in captivity, not more than two or three ever having been bred in this country, but the importations of these animals for them have dropped from S10,000 to 1,500 to S2,500 each
 Numerous as monkeys are in this country, they are not bred here as they do not breed well In captivity. They are so seasily obtained in the country south of us, however, that prices obtain ed for them are merely nominal, and there is little danger of their immediate extinction. Tn their native countries they multiply so rapidly that the supply always keeps well up to the demand. Among the highest-priced naimals of to day are the rhinoceros They are quite scarce, and they do not breed in captivity. There are probably not more than half a dozen in number in this all were bought years ago at hue f,,I one in Central park cost the department s7 900, and a similar sum was paid for .he fine African specimen In the Phia- 1elphia ZOO. The most recent purchase 1f rhinoceros was the full-grown one for Barnum's circus, which cost the $7,250. The hippopotamus is another extreme y rare and expensive creature, and sales of these African products are so lew that it is difficult to quote a price Or them. It is seldom that dealers have good specimen to sell, and few private ,ircuses could afford to give the prices hat would be demanded. The hippo )otamus born in Central park is the l ,nly instance of these animals breed | ng this country. Had this baby hippo | )otamus belonged to a private show, it l would have made fortune for it's own l rs Snakes and birds form large part of | he animal importers business These | creatures come in great numbers from ndia, Africa and South America The ,ublic is peculiarly fascinated by snakes md they are among the most popular reatures exhibited. The best specimens if reptiles come from India and l make 20 feet or more in length is worth considerable money. In cage it is the ize of the snake more than its venom | us qualities that attract and large or python is worth more han a rattlesnake of smaller size.
 Exporting wild animals was formerly uite an extensive feature of the trade T these creatures. but owing to the carcity of our large animals this fea- ure of the business has fallen off oung American bison can now be ex- orted and sold for $1,000, and American ik, moose and caribou have good mark t demand in Europe. Our Florida dia- lond- back rattle-snake and the alliga- 1r have a fair market demand abroad, nd good specimens are occasionally | hipped to foreign dealers to fill orders. Scientific American.
 
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