A Guidebook Library: TLD's year-long randomised walkthrough of zoo guides

Other amenities and features which are discussed include the following:

• Lecture Halls
• Museum/Gallery
• Children's Zoo with educational activities
• General Information centre

I'd be interested to find out where you read this - all the information I have been able to dig up (as I mentioned in the post itself) said that the research station remained open until 2006 and was run by the University of Liverpool from 1919 onwards, and searching on Google for any mention of MAFF and/or 1977 in relation to the station has proven fruitless.

In this case, the main reason for the closure of the monorail appears to have been an unwillingness to spend the required money for repairs and maintenance, rather than a wider trend of monorails going out of fashion.

 

No problem







Threw in a bonus historical structure too!

 

Day 143: Zoo de Doue la Fontaine(1992) - Cheetah



Page count: 48 pages
Photographs: 110 colour photographs
Illustrations/diagrams: N/A
Layout: Brief introduction, followed by general overview of species held within collection, arranged by geographic origin.
Map: N/A

Today, I shall be taking a look at a guidebook which was specifically requested by @birdsandbats ; this is one of the weaker items in my personal collection, for reasons which I shall relate anon, but it should be immediately noted that this does not, per se, make it a "bad" zoo guidebook at all. However, this (combined with my ongoing trouble with long-term mental focus) does mean that this will be a somewhat brief post overall!

It should be noted, incidentally, that due to the physical size of the guidebook this is once again a case where (barring the front cover) I have had to use my digital camera rather than scanner in order to capture images of sample pages, with a resulting loss of overall detail and quality.




The guidebook opens with a brief introductory passage relating the general background to the zoological collection in question; this is, unfortunately, more or less the sole segment which provides material of this sort, with the guidebook as a whole lacking any further visitor information, a collection map, or indeed any discussion of what the actual exhibits and animal houses located at Zoo de Doue were like at the time of publication. The only content within the guidebook unrelated to discussion of animal species, in fact, comprises a short epilogue on the final page which acts as a promotional piece for the related Zoo des Sables d'Olonne around 90 miles to the west.

The main body of the guidebook comprises a general overview of the species held at Zoo de Doue, categorised by geographic origin; due to the aforementioned lack of any real information about the zoological collection itself elsewhere in the guidebook, and my low degree of knowledge about the zoo in general, I am unsure whether this division reflects a physical zoning within Zoo de Doue at the time of publication, or has merely been done for the sake of clarity, relevance, and aesthetic appeal.

The categories in question are as follows:

• Europe
• Africa
• Madagascar
• South America
• Asia
• Himalayas
• Oceania

Given the fact that these sub-divisions of the guidebook contain a pair of categories which fall within the remit of those immediately preceding (Africa/Madagascar and Asia/Himalayas) it seems likely, however, that these do in fact represent exhibit areas within the physical zoological collection which this guidebook pertains to.




Although this guidebook is, as I have noted, rather sparse on detail about Zoo de Doue itself, there are nonetheless several aspects which reflect a high standard of quality where production standards, design and informational content is concerned. Firstly, although the species accounts within the guidebook contain little-to-no information about the individual animals held within the zoo itself, their exhibits or the history of these species at Zoo de Doue, a large amount of detailed information is provided relating to the wild range, habitat, diet and behaviour of the species in question. Moreover, these accounts contain a relatively high focus on the conservation status of those taxa discussed, providing a wide range of information on the factors threatening the species, the in-situ work undertaken by zoological collections to remedy these threats, and where relevant details of ex-situ breeding programmes and studbooks pertaining to particular species held at Zoo de Doue. This focus is particularly pronounced in the segment of the guidebook pertaining to Europe, with the relevant accounts paying particular attention to the historical status of the species in question within France.

Furthermore, these accounts are presented in an attractive and easily-accessible fashion, with each species mentioned within the text being listed both under the French common name and the scientific taxonomic name; the text is complemented by a wide range of colour photographs depicting many of the species discussed, many of which cover entire pages or (in some cases) double-page spreads.




As a result, although the guidebook is rather scant on information specifically pertaining to Zoo de Doue itself, it is nonetheless a pleasant and interesting item to read through.... even if, given my near-total lack of any fluency in French, beyond the first few times I read through the guidebook with the assistance of Google Translate, any ongoing value and re-readability is primarily on the grounds that it represents an attractive compilation of images depicting a wide range of animal species!

Of course, any zoological guidebook - being, naturally, the material chosen to represent a zoological collection at a particular point in time - carries some level of intrinsic value no matter how little it actually pertains to the zoological collection in question!

 

Day 144: Whipsnade Zoological Park (1933) - American Bison




Page count: 48 pages (including 6 pages of advertisements)
Photographs:20 black-and-white photographs
Illustrations/diagrams: N/A
Layout: Introduction, followed by a comprehensive walkthrough account of collection, a list of captive species displayed within the collection, information relating to wild birds and plants found throughout the grounds, and further information on the Zoological Society of London. Supplementary visitor information relating to catering, public transport and rules of admission located throughout,
Map: Fold-out map of collection with inset road-map of surrounding area within interior rear cover.

In theory, the next guidebook which has been randomly-selected for discussion within this thread was actually the most recent edition published by Whipsnade Zoo in 2021; however, after I scanned images from the guidebook in question and started preparing notes and general thoughts in order to start writing a post, it occurred to me that - given the fact that I have yet to discuss any material from Whipsnade within this thread whatsoever – there was an opportunity to select a second item from the collection in order to provide an interesting comparison and jumping-off point for further discussion. To this end, given the fact that the guidebook I had originally intended to discuss reflects the Whipsnade Zoo of the present-day, I decided to select the oldest guidebook from the zoo within my personal collection, a 1933 edition published a few years after Whipsnade first opened; this is the guidebook we shall discuss today, with a post discussing the 2021 edition following afterwards.

The pair of reviews, once both complete, will hopefully demonstrate the growth and development of Whipsnade Zoo over the years, and how the content, style and format of the zoological guidebooks published by the collection reflect the changes both within Whipsnade itself, and in the trends and fashions within the wider genre of zoological guidebooks. I shall return to this matter at the end of the second review, but for now, I shall restrict myself to discussion pertaining to the 1933 edition.



The first feature of this guidebook which I feel merits some discussion is the presence of a variety of advertisements for a range of products and services throughout the interior front cover and several of the following pages, with further advertisements located within the final pages and on the rear cover; as I have discussed on a number of occasions in the past, although not always directly related to the zoological collection responsible for the publication of the guidebook, primary documentary evidence of this sort is extremely valuable when looking at the wider cultural and socio-economic landscape which the guidebook and collection existed within. Although advertisement material of this nature *does* occur within guidebooks published in more recent times (as several of the guidebooks we have already discussed within this thread demonstrate) this tends to be rather less commonplace than was the case within guidebooks published during the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century, and with a lower quantity of material overall. In my experience, the guidebooks published by the Zoological Society of London during the 1930s are some of the few which retain advertisement material at a similar density to that present within those guidebooks published several decades beforehand, and as such provide an extremely valuable primary resource for those interested in the sociological history of the United Kingdom during the interwar period.

As such, I think it would be worthwhile listing the various advertisements present within this guidebook:

• An exhibition of mounted taxidermy specimens of big game and related items, cited as "the largest known collection shot by one man" , held at the Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent; this museum still exists now, and seems to have opened for the explicit purpose of displaying this collection.
• An advert for Bassett's Original Liquorice Allsorts; these still exist today, with the brand name being retained as part of the Cadbury umbrella.
• A pair of adverts for pet food manufactured by Spratt's; this was the world's first large-scale manufacturer of dog biscuits, with the first of these advertisements pertaining to the Spratt's Ovals product line. The second advertisement pertains to Spratt's Egg & Fruit Canary Mixture.
• An advert for Kodak Verichrome Film, which states that the Pavilion at Whipsnade Zoo stocked this product.
• An advert for City Sale & Exchange Limited, a photographic equipment dealer; this advert contains discussion of leading camera lines, payment schedules, same-day photograph printing services, and part-exchange of old camera equipment. The company appears to have ceased business in c.1957.
• An advert for hotels operated by Trust Houses Limited in the vicinity of Whipsnade Zoo; this hospitality company appears to have been quite successful, operating from 1900 until eventually merging with the Forte Group in 1970.
• An advert for the National Anti-Vivisection Society.
• Information relating to the agent responsible for purchasing advertisement space within ZSL guidebooks.
• An advert for Carr & Co Limited, a biscuit and cracker manufacturer which still exists today as a subsidiary of United Biscuits.
• An advert for a product called "Elasto" sold by New Era Treatment Co. Ltd.; this appears to have comprised homeopathic salt tablets, which were alleged to be an effective treatment for varicose veins, rheumatism, phlebitis, arthritis and haemorrhoids!
• An advert for Seltochrome photographic film.

The guidebook opens with a fairly lengthy and detailed introduction to the zoological collection at hand; this contains a wide range of information pertaining to several subjects, including the following:

• The events which led to the zoo opening for the first time a handful of years beforehand, and the intention of the Zoological Society of London when it first purchased the farmland and associated estate on which Whipsnade was built.
• The general long-term plans held by the Zoological Society of London for how the collection would continue to build and expand over the years, both in terms of the zoological collection and free-roaming wildlife present on the site, and discussion of more immediate short-term plans for construction projects; the latter includes the observation that the zoo was intended, once fully developed, to have four distinct entrance gates.
• The geological and archaeological situation throughout the Whipsnade estate, including discussion of soil conditions, elevation, and the close proximity of the Dunstable Downs and the Chilterns, and discussion of the native fauna and flora present within the grounds.
• Difficulties experienced during the construction of the first exhibits within the collection, both logistical, financial and physical.
• Visitor information including admission prices, opening hours, and key rules and regulations relating to entry to the zoo.

As such, this introductory material is extremely interesting, providing a large amount of highly-informative content - much of which is very valuable to anyone interested in the historical background to Whipsnade Zoo.



The following half-dozen pages comprise an extremely detailed and comprehensive step-by-step walkthrough account of the collection at the time of publication; the text contains a continuous stream of information about precisely what visitors to Whipsnade could expect to see at each point in their journey as they walked throughout the zoo, with the caveat provided that the precise inhabitants of enclosures and exhibits could not be entirely locked down given the constant state of change and development underway throughout the collection. The concluding paragraphs contain further information relating to the downland areas located throughout the outlying regions of the Whipsnade site, pointing out physical features worthy of discussion and areas intended for future development, and discussing the footpath leading through these areas to a series of topographic viewpoints overlooking the surrounding countryside.

One of the best aspects of this segment of the guidebook, in my opinion, is the fact that a vast amount of supplementary information is provided throughout - many of the animal paddocks and enclosures are highlighted for further discussion of the way in which they have been designed, and in some cases how they have incorporated and taken into account pre-existing physical features such as chalk-pits, natural escarpments, ponds and areas of woodland, and the walkthrough account regularly makes specific mention of botanical features and locations where specific flowers, trees and other plants are found within the grounds of the zoo. Similarly, areas of the grounds rich in wildlife are pointed out wherever relevant - this fits very well with the intention (discussed within the introduction) held by the Zoological Society that Whipsnade Zoo would ultimately comprise a nature reserve and oasis for local wildlife and flora just as much as a zoological collection.

This section of the guidebook is followed by a short passage discussing the variety of catering arrangements provided within various locations within the zoo, along with the relevant bylaws and licencing restrictions; as can be seen in the below image, it is quite interesting to observe the fact that the majority of the catering venues present within Whipsnade Zoo at the time of publication were extremely formal - with one exclusive to Fellows of the Zoological Society - when compared to those present within more modern zoological collections. As such, this passage not only provides interesting information about Whipsnade Zoo itself, but also represents a valuable resource for those interested in zoo-history and the wider sociological environment which the zoo existed within at the time.



Beyond here, the longest segment of the book comprises a pair of alphabetical lists discussing the various mammalian and avian taxa which the visitor to Whipsnade Zoo could reasonably expect to see displayed at the collection at the time of publication; in some cases, a given entry pertains to a wider group, which is subdivided into additional alphabetically-listed taxa displayed within the zoo. Each of the entries contains a variety of information about the diet, range and behavior of the species discussed, with many containing further information about their conservation status within the wild, and the origin of the specific animals held within the collection. Where present, this latter information often includes details of the price paid by ZSL for the animals in question, the individuals responsible for purchasing or donating them, and the overall captive population in European collections.

This section is supplemented by a short list detailing the various species of wild bird which had been recorded within the grounds of the zoo at the time of publication, a total of 67 taxa; perhaps the most interesting aspect of this list is the presence of several species (for instance hawfinch, turtle dove and nightingale) which have suffered extreme contractions in UK population and range in the intervening 90 years, and which as a result would likely be absent from an equivalent list were one compiled in the present day, and naturally the presence of this list further strengthens the statement contained within the introduction that Whipsnade Zoo was originally intended to comprise a reserve for native wildlife as well as a zoological collection.




Much like the immediately-preceding passage, the section which follows displays a strong indication towards a desire to provide an educational tool with regards to the native fauna and flora of the Whipsnade estate and immediately-adjacent regions of the countryside; in this case, a comprehensive list of the various trees, shrubs and plants recorded within the grounds of the zoo, citing each taxon both by the family or widen taxonomic group and their common name. It is noted, however, that "no complete botanical study has yet been made, partly because it is only since the estate was enclosed that the survivors of the native plants have had a chance of spreading and that plants that had been exterminated have been re-introduced" - as such the content of this section cannot be fully relied upon.

The next segment of the guidebook comprises a full account of the various by-laws and regulations which applied to entry to either of the ZSL zoological collections per Section 17 of the Zoological Society of London Act 1928; it is not, of course, all that unusual for zoo guidebooks to contain information on the various rules within the collection which published them, and many of the rules and regulations listed here are more-or-less as one would expect from such content - such as prohibitions on feeding captive livestock, entering enclosures, and acts of public indecency. However, the sheer number of by-laws (31 in total), the lengths to which the guidebook goes to describe the precise nature of these laws and how they are defined, and the fact that any visitor found in infringement of these by-laws is stated to be subject not only to expulsion from zoo premises but a summary conviction and fine of £5 (which, due to inflation, is equivalent to c.£425 in modern money) is rather more unusual to modern eyes.... as are less prosaic rules such as the following:

• No person shall (a) wash any article in any reservoir, lake, pond, trough or fountain; or (b) do any act likely to pollute the water within.
• No person shall cut, dig, fell, pluck, break or injure any timber, tree, shrub, brushwood, gorse, fern, turf, grass, flower (wild or cultivated), mushroom, berries or any plant.
• No person shall deliver, utter or read any public speech, lecture, prayer, scripture, sermon, or address of any kind or description whatsoever.
• No person shall sing any sacred or secular song, or sound or play upon any musical instrument.
• No person shall chase, catch, trap, or snare or attempt to chase, catch, trap or snare, or lay or place any net or trap for the taking of any animal.

Interestingly, and in a surprisingly modern move, another rule states that smoking within areas of the estate listed as non-smoking was prohibited..... which naturally indicates the presence *of* such areas, to my surprise!



The guidebook concludes with a segment discussing the Zoological Society of London itself; this provides a small amount of information relating to the history of the society, before listing the council membership at the time of publication and key staff members. Alongside the royal patron of the time, King George V (the great-grandfather of the current king) individuals who I feel are worthy of particular mention here include the following:

• Herbrand Arthur Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford; President of the Zoological Society from 1899 to 1936, and otherwise notable due to his acquisition and breeding of Pere David's Deer on his Woburn estate, and his introduction of Himalayan Tahr to the Southern Alps of New Zealand.
• Alfred Ezra; Vice-President of the Zoological Society at the time of publication, and a prominent private keeper/breeder of rare birds at his Foxwarren Park estate - which during this timespan including the last-known group of Pink-headed Duck in the world.
• Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell; Secretary of the Zoological Society from 1903 to 1935, and author of all guidebooks published by the Society during this period - including the guidebook under discussion here. He was also the individual most responsible for the foundation of Whipsnade Zoo.

Beyond here, further information is provided relating to the various benefits of Fellowship of the Society, which at the time of publication could only be obtained after nomination/proposal by an existing Fellow of one's personal acquaintance; this section also contains information relating to the admission hours and entry prices pertaining both to Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo itself.

This seems an appropriate point at which to discuss the photographic content located within this guidebook; unlike the guidebooks published by London Zoo during the opening decades of the 20th century, which contain photographs of animals and exhibits interspersed throughout the main body of the text, photographic material is here limited to two distinct sections devoted to photographic plates. This is somewhat surprising when one considers that, as noted above, this guidebook was written and edited by the same individual responsible for the production of the aforementioned London Zoo guidebooks - as such, one would have expected greater similarities in content and presentation. In this regard, then, this Whipsnade Zoo guidebook actually bears closer resemblance to the format established by the material published at Zoo Berlin during the decades leading up to the time of publication... although even here, the similarity is limited given the fact that those guidebooks (as I have shown throughout this thread) also contained copious drawings and illustrations, something entirely lacking here.

However, the actual photographic content within this guidebook *is* very interesting nonetheless; the first and longer batch of photographic plates is located within the central pages of the guidebook, and depicts a fairly wide variety of the species held within the collection at the time of publication, along with images showing the general environs of Whipsnade and certain enclosures/exhibits. The second, shorter batch of photographic plates provides similar content pertaining to the collection and exhibits at Regents Park, and is located immediately after the aforementioned concluding passages relating to the Zoological Society of London as a whole.



The final major feature of this guidebook which should be highlighted is the presence of an extremely detailed and attractive fold-out map of Whipsnade Zoo and the surrounding estate, located within the interior rear cover. This contains copious annotation showing the location of animal exhibits, areas of natural and managed vegetation, visitor amenities and all major roads and footpaths throughout the zoo, along with interpretive notes where required. Moreover, a road-map of the surrounding area - listing the key roads leading to and from the zoo, distances to nearby major settlements, and the directions required to reach given locations - is provided as a supplementary inset. Not only is this map a high quality item in and of itself, providing a large amount of information about the collection in an attractive and easy-to-interpret way for those purchasing the guidebook at the time of publication, but it is also an extremely valuable and interesting resource for those with an interest in zoo-history... particularly given the fact that it comes from a time in the infancy of the zoological collection in question.



Overall, then, this is an attractive, highly-detailed and interesting guidebook which contains a large amount of valuable historical, sociological and zoological information - and as such represents an extremely valuable resource. Given the fragility of my copy - which is falling apart from the binding somewhat, held together only by a plastic slipcase applied by a previous owner - I suspect that once I have concluded this pair of reviews I will be placing this particular guidebook in secure storage to ensure it is preserved as best as possible for future generations!

As noted, I shall return to the subject of this guidebook somewhat in the conclusion to the next review; in the meantime, I would be extremely interested in any feedback, remarks and further insights which those reading this post with greater knowledge of ZSL than I possess may be able to provide.

 

Day 145: Whipsnade Zoological Park (2021) - Asian Elephant



Page count: 50 pages including interior front and rear covers
Photographs: c.125 colour photographs
Illustrations/diagrams: c.30 drawings of animals and informational diagrams
Layout: General introduction, followed by discussion of species held within the collection divided by geographic origin, a historical timeline of major events relating to ZSL and Whipsnade, discussion of in-situ and ex-situ work undertaken by the Zoological Society, information on how to improve personal conservation impact, and activity page for children.
Map: Located on interior rear cover page.

As I have observed on several occasions over the course of the past year, the regular publication of zoological guidebooks has become increasingly uncommon over recent decades, with high-quality guidebooks being even less commonplace; many of the collections which previously were reliable sources of high-quality, detailed and informative publications have ceased to produce material of this sort. Fortunately, the pair of zoological collections managed by the Zoological Society of London are among the outliers in this regard, with new publications being produced by London and Whipsnade every year or two. Moreover, in a move which I very much wish more zoological collections would echo, the usual odds and ends available for purchase on the ZSL website via their online giftshop include the most recent guidebooks; many of the collections which *do* still produce guidebooks, and operate an online giftshop, tend to withhold the guidebooks from the range of products available thus.

As such, when the news broke in Autumn 2021 that a new edition of the guidebooks published by London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo was at the presses, I started to keep a close eye on the ZSL online giftshop - something which bore fruit some weeks later when the guidebook we shall discuss today became available, alongside a companion volume for the sister collection in the capital. Needless to say, I ordered it immediately!



Naturally, being a modern-day guidebook, this particular item is far more flashy and colourful than the 1933 edition which I recently discussed, and rather less in-depth where content and the range of information provided is concerned. However, as I hope to demonstrate over the course of this review, there is still much to recommend within the 2021 incarnation.

The guidebook opens with a general introduction written by the Director General of ZSL, Dominic Jermey; unlike the lengthy introductory passage within the 1930s guidebook, this is significantly more lightweight and angled squarely towards comprising a promotional piece for the Zoological Society as a whole rather than an introduction to Whipsnade itself. However, this *is* somewhat ameliorated by the fact that the introductory statement is immediately followed by a section highlighting a variety of species and attractions which are deemed to be the "Don't Miss" highlights of Whipsnade as a whole.... even if the choices (Asian Short-clawed Otter, Red Panda, Ring-tailed Lemur and Hyacinth Macaw as far as species are concerned, and the Hullabazoo play area, the Visitor Centre, and the Whipsnade steam train as far as visitor attractions are concerned) are again a little lightweight! These passages are, as is the case throughout the guidebook, lavishly illustrated with a wide range of colour photographs depicting the species mentioned within the text itself.

Beyond here, the guidebook can be roughly divided into three distinct segments, all of which can be taken together to form an overall walkthrough account of the species and exhibits found throughout Whipsnade Zoo; I shall discuss the last and longest of these - a discussion of the main body of the species collection, divided along the three geographic zones which form the backbone of the zoo - anon, but first should mention the presence of a pair of double-page segments discussing a pair of more stand-alone exhibits as follows:

• A discussion of the new Aquarium building which opened in 2019, providing general information about the diet, behaviour and native range of five highlight species (White-blotched River Stingray, Spotted Hillstream Loach, Kisaki Kilifish, Mangahara Cichlid and Striped Shell-dwelling Cichlid) alongside more specific information relating to their conservation status, and with all species cited under their common name and scientific name - something which long-term readers of this thread know is a particular point of note for myself. This section also contains a brief discussion of the Lake Tanganyika ecosystem, one of several represented within the aquarium.
• A discussion of the Tropical Butterfly House, which again provides a wide range of information about selected species displayed within; alongside several butterfly species, the species accounts within this double-page section also cite the presence within the Butterfly House of the West African Dwarf Crocodiles held by Whipsnade Zoo. Given the fact that this taxon is currently undergoing significant levels of taxonomic reassessment, comprising a species-complex of between 3-5 distinct taxa, it is somewhat disappointing that the species account in question does not touch on any of these issues... especially given the fact that, from what I recall, the animals held at Whipsnade are known to belong to one of the species awaiting formal description.

As noted, the bulk of the walkthrough account is divided into three geographic sections - Africa, Asia and Europe - corresponding to the main exhibit areas within Whipsnade Zoo at the time of publication; these each follow the same general format, with a double-page introduction discussing a variety of wider subjects relating to the geographic zone in question, followed by a series of in-depth species accounts highlighting a selection of the taxa displayed within this area of the zoo. Although each of these geographic segments is distinct within the guidebook itself, for the purposes of comparison and to better highlight the contents of the walkthrough account as a whole I have chosen to discuss all introductory material first, with discussion of the species accounts found within each geographic area following afterwards.

As can be seen in the scans above and below, each double-page introductory passage for the Africa, Asia and Europe segments of the guidebook contains a general introduction, a selection of very brief species accounts highlighting taxa not discussed within the in-depth accounts which follow, a simplified map of the geographic zone in question accompanied by a "fact file" of key information which is used to provide further annotation, and a short list of visitor amenities found within this area of Whipsnade Zoo. For instance, the map pertaining to the Africa section of the guidebook is annotated with a series of silhouette images of lions located within the seven countries which (as the accompanying fact file entry notes) still contain wild populations of over 1,000 individuals; this map is also annotated with colour-coding to show those areas of the continent where grasslands and savannahs comprise the dominant ecosystem, with further symbols indicating the location of the Congo River, Serengeti and Mt. Kilimanjaro on the map. Although this map generally demonstrates a high level of accuracy despite the simplified format, with each African country correctly labelled and positioned for the most part, there are a number of somewhat glaring errors; Guinea-Bisseau is mislabelled as Gambia, with the latter country absent entirely alongside Eswatini and South Sudan. The omission of South Sudan is particularly egregious considering the size of the country, the fact that it has been independent for 10 years at the time of publication, and the fact that the map *does* recognise Western Sahara as a distinct entity!

However, the quality of content and presentation within these sections is generally very high, with the balance between text, colour photographs and supplementary illustrations and diagrams being reached in an aesthetically-pleasing fashion, and rather more in-depth information about the geographic and ecological features of the areas under discussion than one might expect from a modern-day zoological guidebook. Although I have spoken at most length about the section pertaining to Africa, I must admit that in terms of informational content, aesthetic appearance and general quality, my personal favourite of the three segments under discussion is the double-page spread introducing the Europe portion of the guidebook.

The species cited within the brief species accounts within these introductory segments are as follows:

• Bongo, Caribbean Flamingo, Grevy's Zebra, Meerkat
• Sloth Bear, Gaur, Pere David's Deer, Przewalski's Horse
• Domestic Reindeer, Wisent, Wild Boar

The in-depth species accounts which follow the introductory passages within each geographic segment of the guidebook are, it should be noted immediately, extremely good; each contains a range of vital statistics relating to the physical dimensions, diet, behaviour and conservation status of the species in question, along with several other features, and is supplemented by information about the individual animals held at Whipsnade, captive-breeding work undertaken by ZSL over the years, and more general observations and items of interest to those viewing the species at the zoo. Each species account is illustrated by at least one colour photograph depicting the taxon in question, generally more, along with a simplified drawing at the top of the account presented alongside further information and trivia. The images above and below show four of the species accounts, pertaining to Lion, Cheetah, Eurasian Lynx and Wolverine; these have been selected on the basis of how representative they are of the general format. feel and content of the species accounts, my personal soft-spot for the latter three species in particular (which I feel are some of the highlights of Whipsnade's animal collection as a whole), and how well I feel they "fit" aesthetically within this post.

The species highlighted within these in-depth accounts are as follows:

• African Hunting Dog, African Lion, Cheetah, Reticulated Giraffe, Common Hippopotamus, Pygmy Hippopotamus, Southern White Rhinoceros
• Amur Tiger, Asian Elephant, Indian Rhinoceros, Bactrian Camel, Domestic Yak
• Brown Bear, Eurasian Lynx, Wolverine

I must admit to some frustration where the selection of Asian species is concerned; two domestic species are deemed worthy of in-depth discussion, when any of the taxa relegated to a single paragraph (per the list provided earlier in this post) would have been more deserving in my opinion!




Beyond the geographic walkthrough account, the guidebook concludes with several double-page segments covering a wide range of subjects as follows:

• The first of these comprises a simplified timeline discussing the history of Whipsnade Zoo, starting with the foundation of the Zoological Society of London in 1826 and the subsequent opening of London Zoo two years later, before moving onto the years which led to the public opening of Whipsnade Zoo in 1931, and a selection of the notable events which took place over the subsequent ninety years up to the publication of the guidebook. The contents of this timeline focus somewhat more heavily on recent events than I would prefer given the wide timespan in question, but quality and informational value remains strong throughout - captive breeding achievements and other conservational work are the most common aspect highlighted. The double-page spread also contains material discussing the status of the chalk grassland surrounding Whipsnade Zoo as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).
• The second double-page segment contains a wide range of information pertaining to subjects such as ZSL and activities undertaken by the Society within the UK (including surveys of wild bats within the grounds of Whipsnade Zoo and environmental outreach work aiming to improve the ecological health of the River Thames), promotion of catering and other visitor amenities at Whipsnade, and discussion of the then-forthcoming arrival of Sulawesi Macaque at Whipsnade Zoo subsequent to their departure from London Zoo.
• The third double-page segment comprises a detailed look at some of the in-situ conservation work which ZSL is involved with throughout the world, including programmes focusing on local education, support of anti-poaching groups protecting species such as pangolin, black rhinoceros and tiger, funding of protected conservation areas, and the promotion of sustainable means of obtaining resources such as palm oil, timber and wood pulp. Along with the historical timeline, this is perhaps one of the most important portions of the guidebook as a whole - especially when one considers the need for zoological guidebooks to provide both the historical context for their parent collection, and information relating to the vital role that zoological collections continue to play.
• The fourth double-page segment comprises a summary of the various ways in which individuals can become more environmentally-aware at home, citing factors such as waste reduction, recycling, purchase of sustainable goods and taking steps to protect and promote garden wildlife. This section also promotes various means by which individuals can support the work of ZSL, including animal adoption, membership of the Society and one-off donations.
• The final double-page segment contains a variety of puzzles, quizzes and games for children reading the guidebook.

The guidebook concludes with a large and attractive colour map of the zoo, which is fully-annotated with a series of symbols showing visitor facilities and amenities, shops, food kiosks and seated catering venues (all labelled within an accompanying key) along with illustrations of the key species exhibited within the various areas of the collection. Although very informative and (as noted) aesthetically pleasing, it must be noted that the map does look a little "busy" and difficult to interpret at points; this is, I suspect, due to the isometric view of the zoo which has been used, with the result that footpaths, exhibits and roads are occasionally obscured by vegetation located "in front" of them, along with the density of symbols and animal icons.

However, this is still a pretty good map on the whole - particularly when one considers that the guidebooks produced by ZSL lacked maps entirely for many years, instead relying on loose maps distributed on arrival to the two zoological collections in question, and occasionally inserted into the guidebooks themselves. To the best of my knowledge, the last time that a map was physically printed within the guidebooks produced at London and Whipsnade was the early 1990s. I will not go so far as to say that a bad map is automatically better than no map at all.... but a map which is flawed but good overall certainly *is*.



Overall, then, this is an interesting and rather good guidebook; although my personal tastes lie towards content which is more detailed and in-depth than is found here, more akin to the guidebooks published by both Whipsnade and London during the mid-twentieth century, it should be noted that this is an aspect where recent ZSL guidebooks have displayed a definite trend of improvement, after a period of rather simplified and dumbed-down content in the early 2000s. Moreover, as I noted in the introduction to this post, the accessibility of the guidebooks to a wider audience through online purchase is a major plus-point in my opinion.

I aim to write a more comprehensive comparison of the two Whipsnade guidebooks I have discussed in recent posts - and, in fact, planned to include it within the text here - but my mental energy levels are flagging badly; as such, rather than delaying this post any more than has already occurred I shall close matters here. The comparison post will hopefully follow soon, but I will probably write about another guidebook in the intervening time in order to keep things moving however, I very much hope that other individuals reading this thread will post their own thoughts and feelings on the matter, and that the opportunity for an in-depth discussion does not go to waste!

 

Day 146: Skegness Natureland (1978) - Seals, Penguins and Tanager



Page count: 16 pages
Photographs: 17 colour photographs
Illustrations/diagrams: 6 drawings of fish kept in North Sea tank
Layout: Visitor information, followed by general overview of species and exhibits.
Map: Located on interior rear cover page.

A fairly brief one this time round; I wanted to post this a few days ago actually, but mental focus has been continuing to come-and-go quite erratically, with my writing progress coming to an utter halt as a result!

The guidebook we shall be looking at today is one of several published at Skegness Natureland over the course of the late 1970s and early 1980s which share a common front cover image; however they can be differentiated fairly easily through examination of the internal contents and updates therein, and my personal collection of guidebooks contains two such items, of which this particular edition is the older by a few years. Although the zoological collection in question still exists to this day, it is among those within the United Kingdom which I have yet to visit; as such, although this guidebook was published nearly 45 years ago it provides me with an interesting insight into the earliest days of a collection which I otherwise know only from the updates and insights posted by others on this forum.



The guidebook opens with a selection of visitor information printed within the interior front cover; as can be seen above, this covers a fairly wide range of subjects such as the location of the zoo, opening times and available amenities, although unusually for a zoological guidebook published during this time period within the UK (of which we have discussed several over the course of this thread) precise details of admission rates and rough feeding times are omitted.



The main body of the guidebook comprises a general overview of the collection at the time of publication, highlighting a variety of the species and exhibits present, providing various items of further information about the individual animals held within the zoo and the species to which they belong, and where appropriate discussing the history of the collection. These passages are all illustrated with a range of colour photographs depicting the species and exhibits under discussion, and can be roughly divided into three segments:

• Discussion of the seals and penguins held at the collection.
• Discussion of the tropical house, "Floral Palace" greenhouse and other animal exhibits.
• Discussion of the aquarium building and related exhibits.

As such it seems most fitting to briefly touch on the contents of each segment in turn.

The portion of the guidebook pertaining to the seals and the penguins displayed at Skegness Natureland at the time of publication - which opens the main body of the text - is also perhaps the most informative where the history of the collection is concerned, providing a wide range of information relating to the population of wild Harbour Seals occurring within the North Sea coastline of Lincolnshire and adjacent regions of Norfolk and Yorkshire, the seal rescue and rehabilitation work which had been undertaken at the collection since it first opened (and remains one of the main areas of focus at Skegness Natureland to this day), and the different appearance and behaviour of the two seal species native to the British Isles. The quality of information provided relating to the penguins displayed at the collection is equally good, considering the overall brevity of the guidebook, with key information relating to the behaviour, diet and native habitat of the African Penguin in the wild.



This is followed by a passage relating to the various species and located within the Tropical House at the time of publication - largely invertebrates, with a handful of reptiles and fish alluded to in passing - which is rather patchy and short on actual detail, and a rather more in-depth series of passages relating to the "Floral Palace". This, it seems, comprised a series of three thickly-planted greenhouses containing a wide range of plants native to a range of tropical, sub-tropical and arid habitats across the world; the first greenhouse also contained exhibits for Chilean Flamingo and a range of parrot species, with supplementary information provided relating to these taxa and the conditions they require for successful captive upkeep, whilst the central greenhouse comprised a tropical free-flight aviary for a wide range of birds including hummingbirds,tanagers and sugarbirds. The third greenhouse, as far as I can tell from the limited contents of this guidebook, did not display captive animals - instead being dedicated to cacti, succulents and other desert plants.

Beyond here, the guidebook discusses a number of other animal exhibits - a Pets Corner holding a wide variety of domestic species, waterfowl ponds, and a dovecote located on an island within one of these ponds - before moving onto the final major segment of the zoological collection as a whole; an aquarium building divided into five large tanks, one devoted to the marine ecosystem of the North Sea, and four showcasing a variety of tropical marine and freshwater habitats, along with a series of smaller tanks displaying some of the marine invertebrates and smaller fish found along the local coastline. These passages are enhanced by the presence of illustrations depicting a handful of the notable species located within the North Sea tank, the aforementioned photographic content, and detailed information relating to the design and technical operation of the various tanks and supplementary systems within the collection as a whole; one of the most interesting aspects highlighted thus is the fact that the saltwater for the seal and penguin pools and the tanks within the aquarium building was entirely supplied by the nearby North Sea, and pumped into the zoo itself through a series of filtration mechanisms. This, I feel, is precisely the sort of information which adds a massive amount of value to zoological guidebooks, providing an insight into the operation and behind-the-scenes technical aspects of a zoological collection.



The guidebook concludes with a fairly simplified but easily-interpreted map of the collection located within the interior rear cover; although by no means attractive per se, it is nonetheless quite informative and all exhibits, facilities and amenities (even those which are not public-facing) are comprehensively-labelled.



Overall, this is a brief but rather interesting guidebook, which provides a valuable insight into one of the less well-known zoological collections still operating in the United Kingdom to this day; as noted at the start of this post I have no direct familiarity with the collection in question, and as such I would be rather interested to hear from anyone who *has* visited Skegness Natureland in more recent times and can provide further information about how the collection has changed and developed since the publication of this guidebook!

 

Day 147: Zoo Krefeld (2000) - Bat and Snow Leopard cubs



Page count: 32 pages
Photographs: 34 colour photographs
Illustrations/diagrams: N/A
Layout: General walkthrough of collection, followed by visitor information
Map: Fold-out within rear interior cover

Today, we shall take a look at one of the shorter and more succinct German-language guidebooks within my personal collection; as my posts throughout this thread have made quite apparent, the zoological guidebooks published within Germany have a tendency towards being rather more lengthy and detailed than those found within the United Kingdom. However, there are some distinct outliers; we have previously discussed guidebooks from Tierpark Hagenbeck, for instance, which seems to have consistently produced material which (although par for the course by the standards of UK guidebooks) was shorter than the general average. Similarly, the handful of guidebooks from Zoo Krefeld within my personal collection are also relatively brief.... although, as I hope to demonstrate in this post, nonetheless attractive and informative primary resources in their own right.



After a very brief introductory passage written by Dr Paul Vogt, the director of the zoo at the time of publication, the guidebook opens with a general discussion of the three tropical houses located with Zoo Krefeld - the Affentropenhaus, the Vogeltropenhalle and the Südamerika Regenwaldhaus. The first of these is perhaps the most recognisable as far as anyone reading this thread with only a passing familiarity with Zoo Krefeld is concerned, being the structure which burnt to the ground in the very first hours of 2020; unfortunately these accounts provide little information about the houses in question or their contents, as one might expect considering the fact they attempt to sum up rather large and speciose structures in a single short paragraph apiece. However, two points do merit some level of praise; firstly, the date of construction for each house is provided, along with details of the private initiatives responsible; secondly, the account pertaining to the South America house (the youngest of the three, having opened only a few years prior) does contain slightly more detail, with information about the number of taxa displayed and some of the notable features present within.



The bulk of the guidebook, however, comprises a detailed walkthrough account providing a fairly comprehensive description of Zoo Krefeld at the time of publication. Each major exhibit/enclosure, presented in the order which a visitor to the collection would encounter them when following the optimum route throughout the zoo suggested within the collection map located within the rear of the guidebook, and with numbering corresponding to that found on the map and the accompanying key, is discussed in rather more detail than was the case in the preceding segment of the guidebook. The various species discussions within this section of the guidebook provide a wide range of information about the natural habitat, diet and behaviour of the taxa in question, aspects of their captive husbandry both at Zoo Krefeld and within the wider ex-situ population, and details relating to their conservation status and relevant captive-breeding programmes. The only major criticism I have relating to these accounts - a recurring one, as those reading this thread will recall - is the fact that the walkthrough account cites species purely by their German-language common name without any mention of scientific/taxonomic names; although my ability to read German and recognise species names is good enough that this does not provide all that much of an impediment to successfully interpreting the contents of the guidebook, especially when one considers that many of the exhibit accounts are accompanied by photographs depicting the taxa in question, this is nonetheless the sort of information which I feel all zoological guidebooks (including those published in English) should contain, with its absence making the guidebook slightly the poorer for it.

As noted, the walkthrough account is lavishly illustrated throughout with a wide range of full-colour photographs depicting a wide variety of the species discussed within; in some cases, these photographs cover the entirety of a given page, or close to it, with two points where an entire double-page spread is occupied by photographic material. Moreover, unlike some zoological guidebooks which I have discussed in the past, the photographs found here cover a pretty comprehensive selection of the species discussed within the guidebook rather than focusing merely on the recognisable "ABC" taxa; as such, taxa such as Pallas' Long-tongued Bat, Grey Langur and Blue Duiker are depicted within, alongside more commonly-depicted taxa such as Snow Leopard, Black Rhinoceros and Lowland Tapir.




The guidebook concludes with a detailed map of the collection, located within a fold-out extension of the interior rear cover, accompanied by a comprehensive key to the various numbered exhibits/enclosures cited on the map - with each number, as noted, corresponding to those used within the main body of the guidebook. The reverse side of the collection map contains a selection of important visitor information, providing information about the opening hours of the zoo at various times of the year (including closing times for the three tropical houses discussed previously), public transport links from Krefeld Hbf to the zoo, and key rules of admission. This segment also contains publication, production and photographic credit information for the guidebook itself.

The collection map itself is highly attractive and aesthetically-pleasing, being presented in a simple and easy-to-interpret fashion with all major footpaths, animal exhibits and houses, visitor amenities and other features clearly visible; along with the aforementioned numbered key to the exhibits/enclosures cited within the main body of the text, the map also contains a secondary key labelling the larger tropical houses and visitor structures, and a suggested route throughout the collection.



As such, it is clear that this is an example of a zoological guidebook which was produced with the explicit intention of being used and consulted during the course of a visit to Zoo Krefeld; the collection plan could be used by a visitor making their way around the zoo and following the suggested route provided within, with the walkthrough account within the main body of the guidebook cross-referenced with the exhibit numbers found on the map. In this particular case, the ring-bound format of the guidebook (a format for which I have discussed my general dislike on several occasions) is a distinct advantage, as it would make turning pages back-and-forth and repeatedly returning to a given segment *significantly* easier than would be the case for a guidebook with more solid binding.

Overall, then, this is an interesting and appealing guidebook, and one which provides a valuable insight into what Zoo Krefeld was like at the turn of the century; sadly, this is also one of the last guidebooks published by the collection before it ceased to produce material of this sort a decade or so later.

 

I've been working on something a little special as a Christmas present of sorts to those who have been following this thread over the course of the past year - whether they have merely been lurking from the very beginning, have been posting and participating in discussion throughout, or fall somewhere between the two extremes.

As some may recall, I have remarked on several occasions that I wanted to learn how to read and interpret the ornate and old-fashioned typeface employed within many of the older guidebooks published by Zoo Berlin, with the hope that this would eventually allow me to translate any content within relating to the history of the zoological collection in question. For instance, see the following passage from my review of the 1899 Zoo Berlin guidebook, written in the very earliest days of this thread:

Moreover, it will have been clear to those reading this thread recently that my mental energy and focus has been very limited of late; I increasingly suspect that I unknowingly caught CV-19 a second time during my three-week soujourn throughout central Europe in late August and early September, and that the combination of autistic burnout *and* post-viral fatigue has amplified and extended the duration of both. However, I have always found that when mental energy and lack of focus is preventing me from getting a particular task done, sometimes switching to a novel activity allows me to build a head of steam anew.

For this reason, several weeks ago I decided to produce a complete translation of the 1866 Zoo Berlin guidebook which opened this thread, and the historical introduction from the 1899 guidebook which was discussed a few days later, with the hope that (given my increased proficiency in interpreting the aforementioned typeface) I would have both completed by Christmas; in the event, although my translation of the 1866 guidebook is more-or-less complete, I realised last night that I had somehow missed out two pages from the centre so that will have to wait for a few more days! Although my ability to read the ornate typeface is better than it was, it is still extremely slow, hesitant and requires a fair bit of proof-reading before it even reaches the translation stage...

However, the 1899 passage *has* been completed, and will be posted anon - I have tried to retain the "feel" of the original wording and lexis whilst translating the text into English, with only minimal alteration to improve flow and ease-of-understanding. The only major edit I have made is, wherever my ability to discern the identity of the individual concerned allows, inclusion of full names where only a surname and (sometimes) profession has been given in the original text.

I conclude by noting that I apologise for any/all translation errors, and that the following text should be read with the understanding that my fluency in reading German-language text is extremely hesitant and limited (and mostly derived from reading guidebooks, zoo signage and half-forgotten lessons during my teens!)

 

History of the Zoologischen Garten.


The opening of the Zoologischen Garten zu Berlin (or, as it was originally called, “bei Berlin”) took place on August 1, 1844. Excluding the Menagerie des Jardin des Plantes in Paris and the Kaiserlich und Königliche Menagerie von Wien-Schönbrunn, which occupy a special position as state and court institutions which are open free of charge, it is the third oldest in Europe (London 1829, Antwerp 1843); within the German Reich, it is the oldest.

The preparations go back to the year 1841, and the Berlin zoologist and African traveller Hinrich Lichtenstein deserves credit for being the first to suggest this enterprise. But his intentions could hardly have been realized if the Prussian royal family had not bestowed their grace on the charitable work in the richest measure. Hardly any other zoological garden has ever enjoyed the same support from the highest of authorities!

The introduction to an 1845 official statute has the following to say about it:


"His Majesty the King has the utmost concern for the propagation of scientific resources, and thereby most graciously bestowed protection and support on the efforts of some friends of the natural sciences to establish a zoological garden in the vicinity of the Residence.

After the Highest Cabinet Order of 31 January 1841 to the Privy Medical Councillor and Professor Dr. Lichtenstein, the first such commission for the establishment of a facility dedicated to science, within the Highest Cabinet Order of September 8, 1841, His Royal Majesty deigned to transfer the majority of the Fasanerie within the Tiergarten, along with its buildings and enclosures, to a company founded for this intended purpose. For the first investment costs, an advance of 15,000 Reichsthaler was made, which increased by 10,000 Rthr. by cabinet order on 16 August 1843, and hence 25,000 Rthlr. has been graciously granted.

His Royal Majesty has also deigned to donate to the company most of the animals that still exist on Pfaueinsel and their containers.

The portion of the Fasanerie intended for the zoological garden, an area of 86 acres (162 R 5 F squared), was handed over together with the deeds to the Royal Commission appointed to organize the company, and after the necessary structural and garden facilities had been constructed, and the animals had been relocated from the Pfaueinsel, the latter ordered further animal purchases and construction of the necessary facilities, so that by August 1 1844, the zoological garden was open.

In order to fulfill the orders of His Royal Highness made in relation to the management of the zoological garden, the undersigned - through the intermediary of the Royal Commission appointed for the organization of the enterprise and with the provisional approval of the His Royal Minister of Spiritual, Educational and Medicinal Affairs in moderation and by virtue of the law – came together on November 9 1843 to form a shareholder-association for the Zoologischen Gartens bei Berlin, and (subject to confirmation from His Highness) have constituted themselves as an anonymous company with corporation rights by judicial enforcement of the following statute.

The purposes of the shareholder association are primarily the management of the company's assets; in particular, the preservation and improvement of the zoological garden located within those parts of the former Fasanerie near Berlin to which His Majesty transferred property rights.”

A “Fourth Directory of Animals in the Zoologischen Garten, March 1846" is available from this old time, which takes up barely three-and-a-half octavo pages and does not even list 100 different animal species. Indicative of the simple conditions of the time, it begins as follows:

"With the onset of the cold season, it became necessary to set up heated rooms and to house most of the animals within them."

The attached plan from 1845 already contains, in addition to the old administration building on Kurfürstendamm which has recently disappeared, the old restaurant (Waldschenke), the old Bear Kennel, the old Monkey House (later the Predator House) and the old Bird House on Konzertplatz (later the Monkey House).

A total of 500 shares, each with a nominal value of 300 Marks, were issued; until 1868, however, only 191 shares had been sold. Administration remained under the provisional commission, which in addition to Lichtenstein comprised Alexander von Humboldt and the well-known landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné. In 1848 the annual income fell to 18,000 Mk.

Under these unfavourable financial and organizational conditions, the company could not develop further, played only a very minor role in Berlin's public life and was far surpassed by younger institutions. Professor Wilhelm Karl Peters, who became Lichtenstein's successor as scientific manager and director of the Zoologischen Garten, recognized this clearly, and his frank ideas for improvement were met with great helpfulness from the Finance Minister at the time, August von der Heydt. With his support, the shareholders Ravené, Hemptenmacher, Stobwasser, Spinn, Prätorius and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy brought about an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider a new statute, which was accepted and on June 1 1869 received approval from His Highness.

Although the subsequent decision to issue 1,000 new shares by exchanging the old ones had already been fully implemented by March 1871, this share capital of 300,000 Mk was not remotely enough to give the garden a new face worthy of an imperial city and metropolis, nor to realize the great plans for innovation which had been in preparation for several years, some of which were due to the creative spirit of the brilliant new director Dr Heinrich Bodinus (originally a doctor in Greifswald) who had arrived from Zoologischen Garten Köln on 1 October 1869.

The first board of directors of the new company consisted of the following gentlemen:

• Professor Peters, soon replaced as chairman by the treasurer-banker Herr Jacques
• Herr Wolff, the company secretary; an Attorney-at-Law (later Judge)
• Julius Helfft
• August von der Heydt
• Herr Ebbinghaus; a merchant
• Georg Christian Prätorius; Councilor of Commerce
• Herr Anderssen; a pensioner
• Alexander Duncker, latterly chairman after Jacques until his death on August 16, 1897 - a publisher and bookseller

After the publication of an amendment to the law pertaining to stock corporations, it was believed that the initially-planned doubling or tripling of the share capital could no longer be supported and bonds were therefore issued three times with the approval of the supervisory authority: in 1870 and 1873, 1250 bonds each valued at 600 Mk, and in 1878, 2000 bonds each valued at 300 Mk.

Originally set at a rate of 6%, these bonds were converted with the help of the banking houses S. Bleichröder and Robert Warschauer & Co to 5% in 1880 and 1882, and 4% in 1895, corresponding to the fall in the interest rate. Today, 400,000 Mk of the entire debt of 1,866,600 Mk have been repaid, namely through annual repayments of 10,000 Mk, increasing since 1895 to 50,000 Mk.

With these funds, in addition to the good cash income of the 1870s (entrance fee income in 1869 of 66,000 Mk, in 1870 134,000 Mk, and in 1873 366,000 Mk.; subscription income in 1872 of 29,000 Mk, and in 1873 46,000 Mk), those buildings and facilities were built that have made the Berlin Zoologischen Garten famous all over the world, and made it the focal point of summer social life in the imperial capital. Regular concerts (thrice-weekly until 1884, initially under the direction of the popular bandmaster and music director Wieprecht) were amongst the main attractions, as were the unique and equally magnificent buildings built in rapid succession according to the plans of the creative master-architects Ende & Böckmann; in 1869 the Main Restaurant was constructed at a cost of 111,000 Mk, in 1870 an outdoor bandstand was constructed at a cost of 6,900 Mk and eagle aviaries for 30,000 Mk, during the winter of 1870/71 the Large Predator House was constructed at a cost of 60,000 Mk and the new Bear Kennel for 27,000 Mk, in 1872 the Antelope House was constructed at a cost of 96,000 Mk, in 1873 the Elephant House for 300,000 Mk, during the winter of 1874/75 the Large Concert Hall was constructed at a cost of 248,000 Mk, and in 1883 the new Monkey House was constructed at a cost of 113,000 Mk); these raised the architectural standard at the Zoologischen Garten to a significant artistic level, pursuing the noble goal of bringing the animal houses into a certain harmony with their inhabitants.

In the 1880s there was a brief standstill, with entrance fee income in 1883 of 273,000 Mk and subscription income of 43,000 Mk). However, after electric lighting was installed in 1884 and daily double-concerts with half-price admission fees for the evening hours were introduced by the restaurateurs Borgers and Marquardt (successors of the first restaurateur Schneider), the income quickly and steadily increased again, with entrance fee income of 392,000 Mk and subscription income of 117,000 Mk in 1898.

Bodinus managed the garden until his death on November 23 1884, and was succeeded by Dr. Max Schmidt, who had previously worked for the Frankfurt Zoologischen Garten for 25 years (with his life’s work being the creation of the zoo) and had acquired a well-founded reputation through his activities there.

Through an unusual talent for organization, matured in hard school, he understood how to further develop the Berlin Zoologischen Garten in terms of economic and commercial operations and thus left lasting traces of his activity here, which was to be short-lived; on February 5, 1888, a sudden death took him away. The honourable electors of the Board of Directors appointed as his successor the undersigned Dr Ludwig Heck, who - having had practical training at the Berlin and Frankfurt Zoologischen Gartens - had previously served as director of the Zoologischen Garten zu Köln am Rhein.

The thriving conditions allowed him not only to double the number of the animal species represented within the Zoologischen Garten - so that with more than 1200 species of mammals and birds it is undisputedly the number one today - but also to continuously lead the physical research into new and interesting forms , namely through rich gifts from our colonies and other overseas countries, which in turn were the goal and result of many efforts to establish direct connections with foreign countries.

He was also able to continue the beautiful tradition of animal houses and architecture on a large scale from earlier times, and this is how it came to be that - after the entire irrigation and drainage system had been renewed and completed in 1893 and 1894 at a cost of 101,000 Mk - in close cooperation with the excellent master architects Kapfer and von Großheim, the following structures were completed; in 1895 one wing of the planned comprehensive Bird House, at a cost of 145,000 Mk; in 1896 three deer houses and a goat-and-sheep house, at a cost of 17,000 Mk; between 1896-1897 the Wading Bird House, at a cost of 119,000 Mk; in 1897 the Camel House, at a cost of 31,000 Mk; and in 1898 a pair of larger deer houses, at a cost of 23,000 Mk.

Alongside this, there was brisk construction activity with a sizeable number of in-house craftsmen, who not only carried out a variety of supplementary, improvement and renewal work (e.g. Mouflon Rock at a cost of 20,000 Mk), but also smaller new buildings (a locksmith's workshop and apartment at a cost of 9,000 Mk , and a pair of larger neccessary structures at a cost of 20,000 Mk) and the ancillary work for the large ones (all the enclosure fencing and foundation plinths; e.g. the Wading Bird House at a cost of 20,000 Mk).

Finally, the Zoologischen Garten entered a new phase of development under the current board of directors, which consists of the following gentlemen:

• Wilhelm Böckmann, Chairman (since 1897, member since 1893); City Architect
• Dr. Max Gelpcke, 1st Deputy (member since 1894); Attorney-at-Law
• Gerhard Lucas-Meyer, 2nd Deputy (member since 1894); Councilor of Commerce
• Eduard Hermann Veit, Treasurer (member since 1887); Privy Councilor of Commerce
• Prince Antoni Wilhelm Radziwiłł (member since 1870)
• James von Bleichröder (member since 1894)
• Louis Auguste Ravené (member since 1895); manor owner and businessman
• His Excellence Dr. Emil Fischer (member since 1897); Privy Councilor
• Herr Richter-Mahlow (member since 1897); manor owner

An Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders on March 16, 1898 authorized the issue of 1000 new shares, at a value of 1000 Mk to the old shareholders, and 1200 Mk to the public; today, these new shares have all been issued. First and foremost, thanks are due to the chairman's tireless energy and creative spirit that not only has the prevailing reluctance to increase share capital finally been overcome, but also that a way has been found to use the inflowing funds for a large-scale transformation of the gardens that is as effective as it is glamorous. The current government commissioner, Privy Finance Councillor Hans-Otto Grandke, has fortunately encouraged all these measures, and the Tiergarten director Hermann Geitner has taken over the overall management of the new horticultural exhibits himself. At the same time as the changes in the garden, there has also been a comprehensive beautification and improvement of the restaurant rooms and operational facilities, which does credit to the well-known names of the new tenants Adlon & Dressel.

So we can hope that our garden will have a bright future and will become even more of a meeting place for the entire population of Berlin and a destination for all foreigners!

April 1899

Dr L Heck

 

Day 148: St Catherine's Island Zoo (c.1970) - Sketch of fortress and four animals



Page count: 16 pages
Photographs: N/A
Illustrations/diagrams: N/A
Layout: Discussion about the history of St Catherine's Island and the fortress on the island, followed by a very brief introduction to the zoo and general trivia about a wide range of animal species.
Map: N/A

This next post will, I suspect, be the briefest and most lacking in detail I have written thus far - and certainly the least-illustrated, with the front cover being the only page worth uploading to the gallery for the purposes of this thread. However, it does provide an interesting look at the most... homespun, shall we say... zoological guidebook I have ever encountered, surpassing even the Kano Zoo guidebook from Nigeria which I discussed in January!

A few weeks ago, a rather old thread on the subject of the all-but-forgotten Tenby Zoo (otherwise known as St Catherine's Island Zoo) in southwest Wales - started by @Carl Jones with the hope of gathering further information about the collection for an article he was writing at the time - was revived by a newly-registered user who posted a link to an eBay listing for a copy of the one-and-only guidebook released during the fleeting lifespan of the zoo; I had already been aware of the fact that the collection had published such an item, and even knew of one or two copies in existence within the personal collection of other zoo enthusiasts, and as such decided to bid for the guidebook. Subsequently, I promised within the thread in question that were I successful in my attempts to obtain the guidebook, I would prioritize it for review here and (if at all possible) scan it completely to ensure that any information within would be preserved for posterity. I also promised Carl that once I had been able to do the latter, I would send him a PDF of the guidebook for his own records and (hopefully) facilitate improvement and completion of his article.

Having been successful in obtaining the guidebook - and with only a slight delay caused by the ongoing postal strikes here in the United Kingdom - I sat down to the task of reading it, analysing it and scanning it. It turned out to be even *more* homespun and rudimentary than I had anticipated, comprising sixteen mechanically-typed and photocopied pages containing no illustration, and very little information pertaining to the zoo itself - although this should not be taken to mean that no material of interest whatsoever was present.

Overall, it could be divided into four distinct sections:

• Two paragraphs about the physical and geographical features of St Catherine's Island.
• A page and a half about the history of the fort constructed on the island, and which contained the zoo at the time of publication.
• Four brief paragraphs discussing the zoo, the owners and their aims in opening the collection.
• A dozen pages providing a range of facts and trivia relating to various groups of mammal, bird and reptile, with the indication that at least *some* of these were hoped to be held at the zoo at in the future.

I shall discuss the last of these sections anon, given the fact it comprises the bulk of the text, but as the first three sections are both brief and the content which would be of most interest to those reading this thread, I shall reproduce them here verbatim via screenshots of the scanned pages (which, as promised, I uploaded to my computer as a PDF and emailed to Carl Jones). This will a) allow anyone interested to read the information within and b) avoid the media gallery being clogged by images showing walls of fairly rough and visually-unappealing type!






The section of the guidebook pertaining to animals contains a fairly wide range of information, discussing various species both native to the British Isles and originating from further afield - if inconsistent in depth, rapidly shifting focus from one topic to the next, and occasionally a little preachy! For instance, the passage discussing rodents contains a digression about the fur trade - incited by mention of the pressures on wild Chinchilla - beseeching the reader "PLEASE DO NOT BUY that Leopard Skin coat, it probably came from poached animals" whilst a later passage located within discussion of the birds of prey notes the fact that several British species were at risk of extirpation, and states that "what is needed is education, particularly of children, and a much stricter enforcement of heavier penalties".

A running theme throughout is the discussion of exotic species as object examples which can be used to highlight conservation issues facing British wildlife, such as hunting, habitat loss and the use of pesticides - however, there is also a reasonable amount of information given relating to conservation issues in the wider world. Having discussed the matter somewhat with Carl -who personally knew the owners, and was therefore able to give a little insight into their personalities and motivations - he has suggested that the style and content of this segment of the guidebook, and indeed the guidebook as a whole, is likely an indication of their strong interest in education and conservation, and the enthusiasm and optimism which they felt in the early days of their zoo. It should, of course, be noted that much of the information presented here pertains to other factors relating to the species and animal families under discussion - such as diet and behaviour, their evolution, and the wide range in shape and form within a given group - and that this is by no means solely a sermon on conservation issues!

Overall, although this is a somewhat uninformative item where the zoological collection in question is concerned, and in many ways feels like a school textbook for children wishing to gain a general picture of the animal world, this is not where its true value lies; as a resource providing the geographic and historical context within which St Catherine's Island Zoo was situated, a primary resource of zoo-history and an insight into the individuals responsible for the creation of a now all-but-forgotten UK zoological collection, it is really rather interesting!

 

I don't think it's all *that* popular - perhaps one reason the zoo did not last long!

I believe it's been used as a filming location for television and movies several times, so you may well have seen it incidentally.