Evening star., 1926-03-21
OFF ON HUNT, DIR. MANN PLEDGES
NOT TO RETURN MINUS GIRAFFE
Zoo Head Is Determined
to Bring ''Pet'' Back
for ID. C.. Children.
Smithsonian Party Sails
for Africa to Bag Rhino
Also for City.

I'm going to capture d giraffe or
never come back!'
With these words or his lips, ex-
pressive of the determination in his
heart, DR.. William M. Mann. head or
the National Geological Park here,
sailed yesterday from New York
with a party Of four more or less
amateur giraffe hunters, en- route for
the jungles of Tanganyika. Africa
This unique expedition, sent out by
the Smithsonian Institution through
the generosity of Walter =. Chrysler,
Detroit automobile manufacturer, is
the direct result of the walls sent up
these many years by youngsters disap-
pointed at not seeing a giraffe at the
Washington Zoo.
I'VE wanna lookut a giraft!" the
children have been chorusing persist
emily to the disnlay of parents and
keepers at the Zoo. But there was
no 'giraft" for them to see, and you
can't fool the average boy or girl by
trying to pass off some other animal
with long neck as a giraffe. The
thing had about driven everybody at
the Zoo to distraction. Then came
Mr.. Chrysler's offer.
Determined to Get One.
"Yes sir" DIR. Mann told The Star
before leaving Washington Wednes-
day night, I've just gotta get those
kids a giraffe, if have to stay in the
jungles the rest of my days' / GER
tainly wouldn't have the nerve to
show my face again if the chief OBJ
ject of this expedition fails. I'm gonna
get a giraffe, that's ALL
But just how does one go about
getting these giraffes Of which you
speak?" DIR. Mann was asked.
Your guess Is about as good as
mine," DIR. Mann replied, with a smile.
Il really don't know Of any approved
and generally applicable method of
capturing the elusive giraffe. We're
just going to handle the situation as
it pops up
"Lasso 'em, maybe?" he was asked.
Sure, If we get a chance. But
to lasso him is a difficult task. He's
a very. very timid animal. Scared to
death OF anything strange. l think
the best way will be to have a lot of
natives round several of them up and
drive them into an improvised corral.
Pitfalls Not Feasible.
How about using pitfalls?'
Not entirely feasible to catch
giraffes that way. The British gov
ernment has a law against pitfalls,
anyway. If we got permission to use
them, however, the giraffe probably
would break his long legs falling into
the pit. Or maybe his neck. The
giraffes we bring back must be first
class specimens. The children want
that kind and it's up to us to get
EN-"
We're going to bring back some
'rhinos.' too," DIR. Mann went on. The
Zoo here hasn't got any rhinoceroses,
either. What's zoo without a
giraffe or a rhinoceros? Getting the
rhinos will be a little easier think.
We could use pitfalls for them, If the
British will let us, but the more prac-
ticable way is to find a. Mama Rhino
with some children and put the
mother to sleep with a bullet. That
doesn't sound humane to some peo-
pie, know, but there really is moth
ing cruel about it. You see, we're
going to take mighty good care Of
the orphans, and a baby rhino won't
miss his mother after day or two."
The party, incidentally, expects to
capture large number of other wild
animals Of all types and dispositions.
1t Will undoubtedly be remarkable
collection of jungle pets which DR..
Mann and his colleagues will bring
back to America with them.
Enthusiastic as 8 Boy.
DR.. Mann is just as enthusiastic as
a boy in preparing for his sojourn in
the wilds of Darkest" Africa. He
has been to that continent before, but
not to the Tanganyika section where
the party will pitch it's camp and sally
forth in quest Of ferocious and other
wise big game. The party is going to
England on the Leviathan and will
sail from Southampton on the. Bal
moral Castle April 8. They will not
reach the scene Of their operations
until late Summer
by that time the young animals,
born this Spring, will have become
old enough to make suitable captives,"
DR.. Mann said. Maybe they will not
have had time enough to acquire too
disagreeable jungle habits and man.
ners. It's going to be hot work, any
way you look at it, at that time Of
the year.
In Tanganyika the party will enlist
the services Of a large encourage Of
natives, who will serve as guides and
assistant hunters. The natives will
be given the privilege Of soaring up
the animals from the underbrush.
Once captured, comes the problem
of what to do with them, DIR. Mann
pointed out. Giraffes, for instance,
were not designed for Grating, in the
general sense Of the word. DR.. Mann
is taking along with him, however.
a model crate designed by Headkeep.
er Blackburn, who used to handle
giraffes for a big circus before coming
to the local zoo. The party will have
native carpenters build life size
crate in the midst of the forest into
which DR.. Mann hopes to coax the
captured giraffe. A giraffe, in the
act Of 'rubbernecking," attains a
height Of nearly 20 feet. Once in the
crate, however, he will have no oppor-
tupity for sightseeing. The only way
he can stretch his neck is to lie down.
A Perplexing Problem.
Just how the giraffes are going to
be put into these crates is not clear
yet, even to DIR. Mann. The problem
is one that will require snap judg-
ment, he believes. 1t may be that an
enticing titbit, like a lump of sugar
or a head Of lettuce or something
will be all that is necessary to induce
the elongated beasts to enter their
shipping quarters. On the other