Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-07
General Health Good

Regarding the general health of the
animals, Director William T. Hornaday
says in his report:
Throughout the year. with but ex-
ception, the general health of the NAM
mails as a whole has been excellent. Only
two specially important animals were lost
by death during the year-a Suleiman
markhor and the largest oran-utan. DO
hong" The exception to the rule of good
health took the form OF a mild outbreak of
distemper in the CANNES of the Small
Mammal house. which caused six losses be-
fore 1t stamped out by DR.. Blair. In
the Antelope house. which contains about
$4,000 worth of animals, the female Grant
zebra died. but the other inmates of that
building are all In excellent health. The
health OF the small-eared Congo elephant,
which for a considerable period was not
satisfactory, has now greatly improved.
and during the past year Congo" has
gained in weight more than 400 pounds.
The most important addition for the
year in the bird department was the ar
rival of 100 birds from the London
Geological gardens, received in ex-
change for a shipment Of American
birds. Among the rarer ones received
was a Kobe vulture, lammergeier, Aus
tralian wedge-tailed eagle brush tur-
IL Ranked by number of species:
mice, piping crows erow~shrikes,
greater spotted woodpeckers, white
crested touracous. hyacinthine macaw
and hoopoe.
Another notable feature of the year
was the forming Of a large collection
of native American song birds, espe-
cially the wood warblers. OF this latter
| group twenty-three species have been
placed in exhibition, including such rare
| and delicate birds as the Connecticut,
| mourning, palm and worm eating
warblers. The sight of these living mi-
grants In their winter plumage is new
even to the learned ornithologist, and
to the ordinary lover of birds 1t is e
treat to be able to follow them through
their annual changes Of plumage. Mo-
where else except in Mexico and Brazil
can these species be seen alive at this
period of the year. Many of the rarer
species laid eggs during the year, and
some of them have already Matched.
Raymond L. Ditmars, curator of the
reptile house, says in his report that
many new species were added during
the year, some of the most noteworthy
of which were a Nile crocodile, an Anna
zon caiman and a specialized caiman.
These reptiles are dangerous, and the
large ones, while in their native ele-
ment, sometimes develop the annoying
habit of eating human beings. The
| total number of reptiles now In the
park is 1897.
The report of the veterinarian, Or. w
| Reid Blair, shows that a number of the
monkeys suffered during the year with
what is known as cage paralysis -
This is often fatal. 1t is caused by lack
of exercise. There were also number
of cases of tuberculosis In the monkey
family. Seventeen of the monkeys died
or We're destroyed while under quinine
control.
For the first time in several years
we have had considerable number OF
distemper cases, all Of which, however
were confined to the animals In the
small mammal collection" says DIR
Blair.
THE disease first appeared in g
! South American wild dog, a recent ar
rival, confined in the small mamma
house. Within weeks time more thar
a dozen cases were found, affecting 9
hyena dog, South American wild dogs
] coati-mundi, squirrels, civit cat ant
! desert foxes.
! GAN the infected animals were imme'
diately isolated and the cages thorough
ly disinfected daily with steam and 9
creoline solution. These measures sue
ceeded in combining the disease to tn,
north end of the building"