Evening star., 1959-05-25
Zoo Defenders

be pleased that someone
thought my name important
enough to borrow" but in
this case they didn't get the
facts right.
You see I've been very
happy and comfortable here
in the National Zoo since
1850 - which is almost as
long as I can remember and
certainly as far back as /
care to-and l know that /
was one of the lucky bears
for I was brought to a life
of ease where I am well fed,
given a nice house, respected
by my keepers and loved by
the thousands who visit me.
1 was saved from a forest
fire, as you should recall,
which took the lives of thou
sands of birds and animals
OF all kinds, a fire which de-
prived its survivors of both
food and shelter.
The so-called civilization"
that is coming to many of the
worlds previously undevelop-
ed areas will bring about the
loss of countless wild life
bears, elephants, cat-type an
imals, birds, etc.
And even here in the
U. S. A., the wildlife is in
danger of extinction-due to
insecticides which kill all
forms of life with which they
come in contact.
Are the giraffes in too
small an enclosure? Ask my
friends up in the large man.
NAL house and they'll tell you
of one of their children who
went to a very fine zoo with
a nice large yard only to
come to an early death be-
cause she had too much room
and she ran about so rapidly
that she got hurt and died.
Ask the zebras about life
in their native habitat.
They'll tell you about the in
ternal parasite which kills
them off in the jungles but
which wise American zoo
men have found a cure for.
Oh l could go on and on
but I think you see what I'm
talking about. All that the
National Zoo needs is the
open support of all its many
visitors. 1, for one, would like
to see a postal card come in
for every person who knows
and loves the Zoo.
That's my story. But. ]
should remind you that the
National Park Service and
my many young friends
across the Nation have
promised me a new home
some time in the future
just another reason I like il
where l am. And one last
thing. I am an employe of
the U. S. Government and
the use Of my name is re-
stricted by law.
Smokey the Bear
y X
I am tired of letters run
ming down the National Zoo
No one has spoken of the
improvement program un-
dertaken by the Zoo over q
year ago, of the many re-
pairs which have been made
of yards which have been re-
done, of new paddocks which
are nearing completion.
Think of the excellent care
the k e e p e r S give their
charges as a matter OF
course even when they have
been up all night with an
animal giving birth, with a
creature that is sick, or with
valuable babies whose lives
are touch and go for a long
time. Apparently it is taken
for granted when staff men,
bers-be they rookie keepers
or high officials-hand-raise
weakly babies. feeding them
as often as 20 minute inter-
walls day and night.
AS for the terrain of the
zoo. it is a beautiful place,
far nicer than many I have
seen-and I have seen most
Of the good ZOOS in this coun-
try and quite a few in Europe,
The entire future Of animal
life on this planet is in the
hands of the capable people
who run the ZOOS. The many
troubles in Africa are bring
ing about the destruction OF
animals by the thousands
And our own Department OF
Agriculture is killing off in
Vulnerable birds and animals
by widespread misuse of in
Secticide sprays.
Steps must be taken in all
areas which possess wild life
to preserve these treasures
for future generations. Some
thing must be done or ouI
children's children will be
left with a truly barren world