The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-09-01
take BIG RISKS
Trapping Of Wild Beasts Most
Dangerous Business. 4 ~
Those Who Engage In II Literally
Gamble With pssth, and Their
Reward 10 Never Sure.

How are the Wild animals obtained
which make up the menagerie of a
large circus3 No business is quite so
risky ns that OF trapping them.
Most OF the Wild animals come from
Africa. These beasts must be trapped
along the Zambesi, which means 1000
miles OF tollsome journey before even
start Is made. The man In charge
OF an expedition must. be experienced
and resourceful must know The coun-e
try, the languages and dialects, and be
something ofsa physician as well.
Fearful risks are taken, especially
with fever. Native carriers by the
score are employed. Each porter Is
required to carry 60 pounds and the
charge merely on such a lead from the
coast up to the great lakes is from
two to three shlllings pound Pro-
visions In large quantities must be
carried, also large amount of beads,
cloth and trlnkets with which to en-
jole the natives for fresh supplies and
information.
Lions are taken In great net, some
1s feet square and trimmed by a very
powerful rubber elastic band. II In
set over a pit near a water hole, and
when caught the lion Is transported In
bamboo case.
The tyro who captured or trapped
a "rhino" in a pit In the heart Of Az
rica would be equally puzzled as 70
how to get him to the coast. An In
clined plane must be dug and the
creature, half-tamed by fright and
hunger, must be securely shackled
with chains and ropes and led through
tangled forests and over sands and
stony plains for hundreds of miles at
great risk to the lives of all con-
cerned.
The hunted rhinoceros IL the very
epltome OF fight and gnmeness, but NJ
ter capture gives up quickly and dies
II not properly cared for and fed. The
two most difficult creatures to trap.
and bring to the coast are the. giraffe,
and zebra. The latter can only be
caught In high and barren hills and
with the utmost difficulty. Once
caught, the zebra becomes tough
proposition, doing most Of his think
Ing with his heels. see = .g
The giraffe Is ultra shy and his
transport after capture serious mat
ter. He stands SO high and his legs
are so like pipe stem his safe con-
veyance Is something of a feat. This
animal is considerable of baby as
regards tenderness, and has heart
breaking way Of shufiilng or his NOR
tai coil after circus has made dar-
Ing investment In one or more of
them. The rarity Of giraffes in cir
cuses and municipal ZOOS Is due not
alone to the original high cost, but
also to the fact that the animal deal
ers abroad will not guarantee safe de-
livery I'm this country.
The Indian tapir perhaps attracts
but little attention at the circus and
yet Is most expensive animal. The
gorilla is practically priceless. There
have been but four ever brought to
this country.
Chimpanzees are relatively plenti-
| ful at circuses and ZOOS, but they are
prone to tubercular trouble and are
hard to keep.
Lions for geological purposes cost
from S4O0 to $500. Tigers, Jungle
bred, will bring even higher figures.
Elephants. or bulls" as the circus
folk term them, cannot be bought
much under $500 In the rough, and
ss they are trained to do stunts"
,heir value to the owner ranldlv In
creases. Their disposition, too, en-
hances their value or otherwise. ASH
attic elephants are more expensive
than the African type, being better
natured and more intelligent, as a
rule. Hyenas are inexpensive. Cam
els Of the Siberian breed cost from
$500 to $500. The Polar bear is ex-
penslve and hard to keep, as is the
Kadiack bear Of Baltimore