Grahame Dangerfield was a popular television personality in the 1960's, and a pioneer wildlife presenter who was always showing the animals from his private zoo and the waifs and strays he rescued. I used to enjoy his regular appearences on various programmes. He was undoubtedly a colourful character and I would like to know what zoochatters know about this personailty and his accomplishments.
I too used to enjoy Grahame Dangerfield's television programmes. It's worth reading his book "The Unintended Zoo" (1965).
Many thanks for this, I read The Unitended Zoo many years ago and enjoyed it. Grahame Dangerfield was an interesting character and kept and bred some interesting and unusual animals. He was, I believe the first person to breed Golden Eagles in the UK.
I read that book too, but the only thing I remember clearly is a sad photo of Mr D carrying the body of a snowy owl by its feet, with a caption saying that it was the end of his attempt to breed the species. If I remember correctly his collection was somewhere near St Albans. Not much of a contribution I'm afraid, but it may jog some memories.
That book was written about his early experiences. He went on to breed many owls of a variety of species, along with all sorts of other things. Somewhere I have a price list of his from 1974
That was after his move from his mother’s home, I think. Local authority run, they took on most of his animals for a ‘British Wildlife Collection’. This was before his Wildlife Breeding Centre
Grahame Dangerfield ran a private zoo in Wheathampstead or Redbourne in the 1970s (Grahame Dangerfield - Wikipedia). There is a video here: Dangerfield's Private Zoo. What do you know of naturalist? says Grahame Dangerfield was connected to Verulamium Zoo in a park near St Albans Abbey. I went there when I was a little boy. The zoo contained British mammals. I remember a little house that had a few species of bats. I most remember the long-eared bat.
A snippet of information about Grahame Dangerfield that may be of interest: In 1970 he released an LP record "Sounds of the Serengeti", featuring animal noises that he recorded in Africa. Dangerfield's recording of these animal sounds used to be transmitted in London Zoo's Nocturnal House, downstairs in the Clore Pavilion.
Graham Dangerfield's long time 'curator' was Caroline Brown. She inherited a number of the animals, such as Grey Foxes, and Senegal Bushbabies. We had the latter from her privately and carried the over into the early days of Hamerton, breeding several generations. Caroline had black Ushant and Cameroon Sheep from us from original stock that we and Banham imported.
The Avicultural Society First Breeding Records confirms that Grahame Dangerfield was the first person in the UK to breed golden eagles; it gives the date as 1975.
He advertised surplus stock for sale regularly in the classified ads section of 'Cage and Aviary Birds. Foxes, badgers, birds of prey, the bushbabies etc. I remember an enclosure being built for Cheetahs, but don't know if it ever held them. Later it was used for Maned Wolves, a major rarity in those days...
Dangerfield also had U.K. first breedings with Dark-breasted Barn Owl, Spotted Little Owl, and Short-eared Owl
Here are a couple of half hour radio programs from the BBC featuring Grahame Dangerfield They're tilted Grahame Dangerfield: Back to the Serengeti BBC Sounds - Grahame Dangerfield: Back to the Serengeti - Available Episodes
