Smyrna times., 1935-05-23
KEEPING zoo
ANIMALS WE'LL
Is a Real Job For Doctors and
Care Takers For Those
In Captivity
BEASTS HAVE MANY ILLS

Washington.-One of the most pc
culiar bears ever born in captiv-
ity put in brief appearance re-
Gently at the National Geological
park in Washington. A cross be-
tween polar bear and a brown
kadiak bear, the tiny silyer-gray
cub aroused the interest Of sci
entists. Hopes of studying it were
dashed, when, after two weeks of
apparently normal development,
the cub mysteriously died.
IF it We're not for the careful
attentions of the zoo doctor, ZOOS
would soon be full of empty cages"
says the National Geographic So
ciety. For captive animals, al
though given the finest food and sur
roundings. suffer from all the i'll
nesses in patent medicine pamph-
let. Bear cubs get mumps, and
monkeys get toothache. Pneu-
monia, distemper, and parasites
wipe out large numbers of animals.
Bronchitis and digestive troubles
affect others. Monkeys are espe-
cially susceptible to tuberculosis.
Elephants Get BeIlyache.
Many of the illnesses are natural
to the animal in wild state.
Change of climate accounts for 9TH
ers. Elephants. upon first being
brought from the tropics to more
temperate regions, often roll on the
ground with stomachache. The
usual remedy is a blanket-sized
mustard poultice and a stiff dose
Of gin and ginger. Elephants be-
come so pleased with the tonic that
they frequently stage an illness
merely to be dosedi
Many animals, however. quick
ly become acclimated. Lions and
ostrfches learn to live outdoors in
snow, while the Brazilian tapir rev.
els in it from choice long after ami
mails from colder climates have
sought shelter. Similarly, polar
bears do not seem to be affected by
the summer heat of temperate re-
gions.
'One of the most amazing adapta-
tions to changed environment was
made by chinchillas. These small
rodents, from which valuable fur is
obtained, normally live on the frigid
heights of the Andes. How they
were successfully transferred from
there to fur farms of southern Cali
fornia is a monument to patience.
A dozen captured at high attitudes
were carefully nurtured for two
years at 11,O00 feet, brought down
to 5000 feet, kept there for a
year, and then after almost six
years of successive descent and
stops, they were taken on a 40 |
day sea voyage from IQuique, Chile.
to Los Angeles. In ice-cooled cages |
they passed safely through the trop-
les, and are now thriving by thou
sands in their new environment.
Confined surroundings account |
for several diseases affecting ami
mails. When captive animals, Tapped
in comfort, become too lazy to do
much more than eat and sleep, they
frequently fall victims to cage
paralysis Trained animals, forced
daily to jump through hoops and
race around arenas. keep In bet
ter condition than most zoo animals.
One reason why certain animals
are confined together is because
chasing each other around the cage
gives them exercise as well as d.
version.
Need Companionship.
1T is well known that companion
ship Is an aid to the good health of
most animals. Many animals, If I
kept alone, are apt to fall sick. !
Hatred of solitude probably ac-
counts for many strange friend
ships between animals, not only be-
tween those of the same species,
but between those of far different. {
and often hostile species. /
Between acts of trained animal {
shows, visitors may be surprised to I
see a tiger, a panther and fox ter :
-ier rolling over each other In I
play, or bantam rooster {
from the vantage point of +,
/ giraffe's neck. Such friendships !
sometimes terminate abruptly. Sea /,
ions may live peaceably with pen /;
yuins for years, and then suddenly
urn and devour them.
Continued on Page Seven II