Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-19
THRIVE IN CAPTIVITY
Zoo Has Data on Bears Cover
ing TWenty-0ne Years.
BEDROOMS ARE PROVIDED
Experimental Pit Near Akron, Ohio,
Is Large and Sanitary.
PAMPHLETS BY A. B, BAKER
National Geological Park Official De-
scribes Rare Animals Sell
dom Confined.

In 1904 \. +. Baker. assistant superin-
tendent of the National Geological Park.
published an account OF the breeding of
the American black bear at Silver Lake
Park Ohio, which appeared in the Smith
sonian Miscellaneous Collections. The
paper covered a period Of twelve years
study, and as the breeding Of these an
imals has been continued I'D to the
present time. data now Is available for
q period Of twenty-one years, and II was
thought desirable to give q further ac-
count Of the matter in view of the re-
Gently developed interest in the breeding
OF the fur-bearing animals. This pamph-
let recently issued by the Zoo, forms
Smithsonian Publication No. 2Oe6
The bears under observation are kept
at Silver Lake Park, a small resort near
Akron, Ohio. When the undertaking was
first established collection of hardy
animals was started in bear pit. The
first bears obtained were a pair Of cubs
gotten in 1883, from two different local
tiles near Lake Superior. This pair bred
regularly for eighteen years, and raised
in all about thirty-four cubs. Including
all the breeding bears, sixty-eight or
sxty-nine cubs were raised during the
| twenty-one years Of observation.
The original pit is circular in form
and built of brick, twenty feet across
and twelve feet deep. The floor is of
terra Gotta blocks set in cement, SO that
the place can be readily washed out with
hose The pit is provided with a tank
in order that the animals may battle. I'M
portant features of the bears quarters
are the retiring dens. which provide
suitable places for Information Zach
is ventilated by small fiue extending
n a. .oyya
Become Fat In the Fall.
In the fall of the year. when the bears
are about to retire for the winter, they
become very fat. AS cold weather ap-
proaches large quantities Of leaves are
thrown into the pit and are carried by
the bears into their dens. Much of their
time IS spent there, but they come out
for an occasional meal until the advent
of settled cold weather, about the middle
of December. when they finally retreat to
their dens for the winter. Generally
they come out from Information early in
March, having remained in seclusion for
about three months.
1t is stated by W. R Lodge. manager
OF Silver Lake Park, that the bears have
always come out, after alternating for
two or three months, in practically as
good condition as when they went in,
aoaic VI LAcHI SHOWlIiS tnlnn6SS, despite
the fact that they have eaten nothing
during that time. Nor do they appear
to be particularly hungry, for at the first
meal they take but little food, touching
with the tongue what is offered to them
before eating 1t, and it is only after three
eat with appetite. The young are born
usually in January, while the animals
are in Information. The weight OF the
newborn cubs ranges between nine and
valy
fellows with short. velvety hair of gray
ish- brown color. Fortunately, none of
the cubs has been lost except through
accident, and the death of one bear
twenty months old. was the only loss by
disease.
The food which is supplied to the bears
is similar to that which they get in their
wild state. hotel picnic tables affording a
large amount OF miscellaneous scraps. to
which is added an abundance of green
food from nearby farms.
Notes on Rare Mammals.
Another pamphlet by A. b. Baker con-
tains notes on mammals which are rare
or have seldom been kept in confinement.
Two live specimens Of a Haitian insecti-
vore.' SolenOdon paradoxus, were collect
ed by Franklin Adams of the Pan-Amer-
lean Union in the Dominican Republic
rare animal is a small. rat-like creature
with queer upturned snout, long, stiff
tail and oddly clawed feet. 1t is not
rat, however, but a relative OF moles,
shrews. hedgehogs. etc. It lives in the
ground and is of nocturnal habits.
A collection Of animals which was re-
ceived at the Zoo Park in December. 1909,
from the British East African expedition
contained q specimen OF an extraordinary
East African rodent called Lophiomys
{hAan = in ha htcrbnr &c NJ
the country and is known only to the
natives. At the urgent request Of G. II.
Goldf1nch, assistant game warden of
British East Africa, they obtained two
Nakuru. at about 5000 feet altitude. Mr..
Goldfinch forwarded them to Nairobi,
whence they were shipped with the col
lection of animals presented to the park
by w. n. Mcmillan. One died en- route
at Port Said, but the other came through
safely.
In speaking OF this animal. Mr.. Gold
finch says that IT lives in the trees in
the thick forests Of the high country and
feeds on leaves and tender shoots In
sweet potatoes and other vegetables.
being especially fond of sweet potato
leaves and endive.
Natives Fear Animal.
The natives are averse to hanCun the
animal, believing its bite to be poison
Gus. 1t Is strictly nocturnal. and it's slow
movements are suggestive of the Canada
porcupine When disturbed. 1t erects the
long hair ON the sides OF its body, leav-
ing a deep furrow from the ear to the
tail. In the bottom Of this furrow is
sort and peculiarly modified spongy hair.
When the animal is quiet the fur closes
over this band Of short hair. entirely con-
cealing it, Exactly what this furrow rep
resents is not clear. but 1t probably sur
rounds q gland.
The dormouse OF Europe has some
what similar popularity. There is SO lit
tie information regarding the rate of
growth of wild animals that Mr. Baker
has taken the pains to record the weights
of a male Alaska peninsula brown bear
in the park The weights have been taken
annually for the past eleven years. This
bear was captured near Douglas settle
ment at the western entrance Of Cooks
Inlet, Alaska, in May. 1901. being then
a hout three-and-a-half months old. In