Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18
ANIMALS ABUSED
BY zoo VISITORS
Franks Cause Injuries and
Deaths, in Spite of
Keepers.

The animals at the National Zoologi.
cal Park have due cause to wonder, now
and then, why their visitors behave like
human beings.
Curiosity, malice, carelessneSs and
ignorance on the part of people circulat-
ing among the cages result in great
deal of unnecessary punishment to the
captive creatures.
Perhaps the single factor of Ignorance
works the greatest mischief, although
there are occasional acts Of deliberate
brutality.
In his SO years at the Zoo, HeadkeepeI
w. H. Blackburn has had many such
acts brought to his attention. Speaking
generally, however Mr.. Blackburn has
much to say in praise of the behavior OF
the some 100000 persons who file
through the park gates each year.
1t is to be expected, the headkeepeT
said, that such crowds must contain q
few miscreants and Observation-Disclosures
whose acts seem to establish their right
to place behind the bars themselves.
In particular, there was the case OF
two black bears living amiably in a cage
They got along very well until one day
q visitor came to the edge Of the den
the bag and threw 1t to the bears, aim
ing it at point directly between them
The beasts jostled each other when they
scrambled for it.
Plainly q Mischief Maker.
After that the man is known to have
thrown peanut on peanut into the cage
dropping them where they would work
the most mischief. The good nature Of
the bears broke under this treatment
and presently they set upon each Other
with great ferocity. The next day deer
flesh wounds, ripped by fang and claw
bore evidence Of the price Of one mans
idle curiosity. 1t took months for the
wounds to heal.
Not long ago the Geological Park
became the happy hunting ground OF
group Of boys who had armed them
selves with rubber bands and, large
wire staples.
Morning after morning the keepers
found staples Uttered over the floors
OF the monkey. seal. bear and cat cages
Too, the occupants exhibited welts
upon their bodies.
The guards became alert for sign
Of the offenders. but they were too
wary. Meanwhile monkeys, bears
seals and cats 'nursed their wounds
One seal had been hit and lost the
sight of an eye. A polar bear received
OIL Oh steel III Ills paw, u ClICuIH-
stance which was not discovered fol
several months. ~ "a.
The Zoo some years ago came into
possession of several great tortoiSeS
Soon a guard found that one had q
fractured shell. It died, and a. second
died from the same cause. Visitors, in
| vestigation developed, had been shieine
| small stones at the tortoises, to see
them hurry as they crawled about the
| pen.
Others Are Plagued.
| The seals and sea lions were plagued
| in a similar manner. If they lolled In
| the water, people wanted to see them
climb to the edge of the pond, or ii
out of the water. people wanted to see
them dive in. To accomplish this pur-
pose they threw light stones at them
and several received broken skulls as Q
result, since the heads Of seal and Ses
lion are covered by a fragile shell Of
bone. 49,,
Most casualties due to visitors are
the result of improper feeding. Few
layn1en realize what delicate digestive
systems and bodies the birds and ami.
mails have, even the larger ones
/ Tragedy usually results from this lacl
of knowledge, but there are comic In
One of them Mr.. Blackburn recalll
with q chuckle. He was down earl