The Washington times., 1901-09-15
WASHINGTON'S GREAT zoo.
Great Britain COmmends the Res
eryatiOn at Rock Creek Park.

An Ideal Scheme for the Preserva-
ton of Big Game and Western AMI
NAL Life-POssibiIities of the Fu-
ture-Nature should BE Let Alone
In 1887 S. p. Langley was appointed Sec
reatarv of the Smithsonian Institute. and
although a physicist, he was one of the
first to realize that America was tamely
submitting to the unnecessary and i'm
measurable loss of all her superb game
animals. And as means of heading OH
this loss he devised the scheme of Ma
tional Haven, where each of the species
threatened with determination might
have a little region of its own in which
to ''perpetuate its race in peace" and
where it might be forever available for
the student or the domesticator.
After several years of wrestling with
oficialdom he succeeded in getting the
money appropriated by Congress to make
such an ideal park Zoo on tract of l61
acres that was secured along Rock Creek,
near Washington. The original idea had
been to provide only for those native spe-
cies that were threatened with extermi-
nation: to give to each large range OF
many acres of wild land in which to live,
and to entirely discard the old-fashioned
box cage menagerie idea.
But the conditions imposed by Congress
required that it be made a place of
amusement and instruction for the peo-
pie" The effect of this was to hybridise
the scheme to some extent. The small
parks were duly instituted for the vari-
Gus deer, but in the central building were
also to be seen lions, tigers, monkeys, and
other snowy exotic species, in cages that
differed only from the well-known types
in being larger, better built, and more
sensibly arranged.
The park tract WAS by nature of great
attractiveness to wild birds. 1t was di-
versified and watered by a small and pic
turesque river, rocky cliffs, and open
grassy glades, pine-clad heights, and
slopes with oak and hickory groves,
Always a favorite resort of birds and
squirrels. Mr.. Langley has aimed to make
1t paradise of living creatures by de-
veloping and adding to all its allure
ments. providing nesting places and food
supplies, and, above all, by guaranteeing
the fullest measure of safety.
But the individual parks or paddocks
are the most novel and important fea-
lures. To each of the native horned rumi-
nants the buffalo, elk, moose, deer, ante
lope. goat, and big horn, 1t is intended to
give a little park of its own where its ma
tive surroundings will be reproduced as
far as possible. and where the animal may
perpetuate its species for the student of
the future, and show us how it used to
live its life in the wilds where it is native.
The buffalo have more than one pad
dock, as the available acreage is not suf
aafa ha 70 civ tl,avy
a region as large proportionately to the
Great West, and the limitation of space
means more management. Nevertheless,
they have prospered and increased each
year, which is good proof of the soundness
of the sytem.
But the commodious park set aside for
the elk is not merely good reproduction
of the native range, it is actually part of
1t. The neighborhood of Washington Is
certainly within the ancient geographical
limits of the elk species. And the appear
snce OF the herd does not incline one to
look for the early extinction of cervus
Elk, however. have never proved a diff
cult species to keep. Antelope, on the
other hand, have defied all efforts to keep
them in captivity. Not only in foreign
where the difference in climate
was probably sufficient explanation, but
In America as well, captive antelope have
invariably pined away in a short time.
A novel feature of these parks is he
invisible wire fencing that is exclusively
used. 1t is tight enough to keep in very
small animal and yet strong enough to
hold the biggest buffalo buli. At short
distance 1t is lost sight of, and the effect
is much as of seeing the animal in the
open without any barriers at ALL
The Virginia deer also are fortunate in
having section of their ancient habitat
consecrated for them as a haven of ref
uge, and all of their wild habits are here
without the wilderness, so that
one can see them seeking their food in
early morning. hiding in the dense thick
cts in noontide heat, and living their lives
much as their wild ancestors did on these
very grounds less than 100 years ago.
In the brook below the hill are the beav-
ers. Their indefatigable industry speedily
resulted in two large dams and one or
more houses. about which they afford dali
ly object lessons of their traditional meth
DDS.
Among the plans that the secretary has
for future fulullment is a Rocky Noun
tain home, which shall include a rocky
cliff and numerous sheltered woody hooks,
"HeTt the mountain SneGp OF Dig norm
and his harmless neighbors the mountain
hare and marmots, may dwell together
and reproduce the lives they lived in the
West.
Another of these enclosures is planned
for the great grizzlies so rapidly nearing
and one on a small scale is
already r allied for the coons in the CEN
tre of the grounds. 1t comprises a huge
thirty well-to-do coons that live here as
as though they were one
thousand miles away from the Capital
City of the States instead of right in it.
All along the stream, Rock Creek, the
various water fowl have been encouraged
to seek nesting places for themselves. and
in the ponds also that have been made by
hamming the smaller brook every kind of
native life is carefully fostered. The
woods around abound in squirrels and
and at every point and IN
every way the park is developed to real
Ze an oft-painted picture of teemipg life
rase with the sportsman left out.
The thinking man recognizes many good
reasons against the determination of large
harmless animals. First perhaps. is the
pleasure in seeing the Wild creatures. A
arge class finds very great pleasure in
Il; SO that the animals should be preserv-
ed for the same reason that beautiful pic
lures are preserved-they are lasting
source of pure pleasure to the eyes. Sec
ondly, II is always dangerous to disturb
the balance of nature; no man can tell
how great disaster may follow If we re-
move single poise in that balance. Many
plaques and pests are known to have aris-
en- as consequence of some man-made
Thus the destruction of the coyote in
several parts of the West has resulted
n plague of jack-rabbits, and similar
cause in Manitoba has been followed by
devastating numbers OF ground squirrels.
l he determination of the American buff
falo has taught the grey wolves to live
on the range cattle, and now they have
learned 1t so well the profits of the ranch
men are in some localities getting down
10 the zero point.
Thirdly. we do not know how much SER
vice may be rendered by the animal in