Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-16
WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY
ny FREDERIC }. HAsKIN

NEW IORE. July 15.-The elephant.
who enjoys an cnviable reputation for
Intelligence and amiability. has been
haskinG In a public approval he does
not deserve. lie Is really "a dangerous
and ;reachcrous beast IN captivity. and
while lie is intelligent enough. he s
prone 10 misspply the brains that ma
ture gave him
AT least. such has been the expert
cncc OF the zoo authorities. according
10 William T.. Hurnaday. director and
general curator Of the Bronx Zoo here.
The story OF Minnie. tho circus elc-
plant. who carefully lifted tho trainers
little hoy 10 safety on her back before
she chastiscd the trainer who had beat
en- her. is no, accepted with cnthusI-
aStic crcduiity by the zoo keepers
such thing may be true OF circus eie
plants. they admit. but certainly not
OF those residing in ZOO who are
never remarkably docilc and as old age
comes on develop a tremendous amb-
,ion TO Kill keeper.
Only last summer. for example IL
became necessary TO shoot t;unda. IN.
large Indian elephant OF the park, be-
cause nc became 80 uumauagcablc. Ac-
cordirC TO the popular version OF the
elephant story. Cunda should have dis
liked only those who fed him had pea
nuts and tobacco and exhibited n pas
had pctte Ell him. but what Guuda really
did was to attack everybody who at
tempted I" enter the cage, and made
tho process Of feeding him exceedingly
dangerous. All Keepers were equally
distastcful TO him. so that il nnaIly
became the duty OF the ZooloEica So
cie,y TO have him shot. His skeleton
and skin arc now to be found in the
Museum Of Natural History. while his
fcI tn Cnll
OF Physicians and Surgeons Tor use in
research work.
Not only is the elephant not to he
trusted, but other animals show a la
mcrtablc tendency to cat the hand that
feeds them. For instance. in tho opin-
ion OF Mr.. H"rnaday. nothing is quite
81 dangerous ns a pct bear; and for
this reason the Keepers in the Bronx
Park are requested not to take the
slightest chance with any Of the anil
mails. :. man may feed bear an apple
go times with perfect safety. and on
tho 2s1st time have his hand chewed
off. Such an accident occurred tnot
long ago when a keeper tried to pose
bear for tho park photoera tho
bear attacking the keeper and dcvour-
ing his right hand.
Bronx iark. while belonging to the
city Of New York, Is under the exclu-
sivc direction OF the New York IoolOGi-
cal Society. The city appropriatcs
100000 annually for the maintenance
of tho grounds, animals and buildings.
and the rest OF the money required
is Obtained from The gate receipts.
Two days each week an admittamce
charge of % cents is made, in addition
to which the society runs two park
restaurants. boat pavilion on the lake
and supplies n number Of riding ami
mails for the purpose Of making money.
The original idea was to use this
money for buying new animal collcc
tions. bur the expense OF maintenance
and repair is great that tho city
appropriation does not begin to cove,
ii. and the profits OF the amusement
business go tn make up the deficit.
The animal collections are usually
amplifed by the contributions Of pri-
Vatc citizens or members of the So
ciety. Since valuable animals are AL
ways dying of old age, or of various
diseases resulting from captivity. it is
necessary TO he buying new ones all
the time. During the past two years
OF course, the European War has
greatly intcrfcred with the transport :
ing Of animals from Africa so that all
the new species have come either from
private collections in England or from,
| South America.
Even under normal conditions, ID
| seems. ii is difficult to procure ship
| ping space for wild animals, most oil
tho American shippers refusing Ia
! transport them on passenger vessels
| On the other hand, the German ship.
| pers in the past did not object to carry.
| ing animals for any distance on any
| kind of steamers, so that Hagenbeck
| the famous German capturer OF wild
| animals. was allowed to obtain a
monopoly on the animal import bust.
| ness.
Another difficulty i'm taking care OF
unacclimated species is the change OF
| food, which sometimes disagrees with
| them. 1t is almost impossible, for ex.
| ample. to maintain a gorilla In this
| country. AM agent OF the society oh.
tanned female gorilla in Africa and
| brought. her safely all the way TO the
| ZOO only to have her die one wear
| after her entrance. During this time
| she was the subject OF medical expert.
mont. every known method being en-.
| ployed to save her life. She was giver
| the tubcrculin test three times each
time registering negative, after whicl
| doses Of arsenic, strychnine and iror
were poured down her throat and she
| was administered extracts OF thyroid
and thymus glands. Every kind oil
| possible food was provided her. bu,
| without tempting her 10 eat. and finally
she died of exhaustion and what an