My very own Bronx Zoo during any of the short periods where they held Thylacines between 1902 and 1919. Of course said visit would also give me boatloads of other species as well If I had a second go I'd probably go to London sometime during the early 1870's so I could see both their Warrah and Javan Rhinoceros. But here's the frightening thought: imagine doing this just to find your species of choice was off-exhibit on the day you visited ~Thylo
Spix- almost certainly, languishing in a Bird House along with all the other larger chained or caged Macaws and Parrots. I really meant I would like to see a Spix in the present time- it is still a vague possibility compared to the extinct species mentioned. Ape Houses. A lot of them weren't good well into the 'sixties and beyond. One that interested me was Edinburgh's, where the first UK breeding of Orangutans took place. It seemed pretty much unchanged since those days but was quite spacious with big outdoor cages. Afaik it was still being used for the Chimps until Budongo was built. I actually preferred that old house to the monstrosity for Gorillas and Orangutans that replaced it- now overhauled for the Pandas.
Returning to Twycross and Miss Badham and Miss Evans still at the helm living in the big house and all their faithful staff still working there, Joe and Bongo in the gorilla house. Returning to Cricket St. Thomas and appreciating again what a first class location it was for a zoological collection, Lambton Lion Park open for business when Mr. Jimmy Chipperfield was still a director and it was doing well, it went down steadily annually after he parted company and left the running of the park to the Lambton estate themselves. And as dear old Andrew states taking more photos than what I did, even though in the earlier days I only had a Kodak Instamatic.
If I'm not mistaken this could also give someone an Indochinese Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis) so quite the opportune time to go. ~Thylo
Its well documented that he died in the evening/night after being locked out of his night shelter by mistake in very bad weather. Whether he was healthy up to that point I don't know but presume he may have been. So a visit on the 7th would probably have been okay. Admission price to the Zoo was then something like 2 or 6 pence. Interestingly its recorded that the subject of the well know photo of an emaciated/sickly looking Thylacine- often quoted as being Benjamin too, but it isn't- died the day after the photo was taken.
You are not mistaken; ‘Begum’ the type specimen of Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis was at London Zoo between 15th February 1872 and 31st August 1900
I´d love to visit so many! If I only could choose one, and although it´s not really a zoo, I´d choose Wuhan Institute of Hydrobiology on the 90´s, to see Qiqi the Baiji, since cetaceans are my favourite animals and no chance to see this species today. Apart of this, Walsrode on the late 70´s or 80´s, and any zoo where to see any now extinct species would be very wished trips too!
Agreed, there are so many interesting possibilities. Another one that I didn’t include in my earlier posts:- Visit London Zoo between 1909 and 1918 to see the first living takin outside Asia. (This animal would remain the only takin ever to leave Asia alive until London Zoo’s second takin arrived in 1923.) I would be especially interested to see the takin that arrived in 1909 as it was a White’s takin (or Bhutan takin) - the only individual listed of this form on Zootierliste – and the only one of the four takin (sub) species that I’ve not seen.
Indeed, London Zoo received the following twenty three birds of paradise in 1965: • 1 Lady McGregor’s bird of paradise • 5 ribbon-tailed bird of paradise • 4 Princess Stephanie’s bird of paradise • 4 sickle-billed bird of paradise • 4 Raggi’s bird of paradise • 1 lesser superb bird of paradise • 4 magnificent bird of paradise These were presented by Sir Edward Hallstrom, Honorary Director of the Taronga Zoological Park Trust. There was also a large collection of birds of paradise at Chester Zoo about this time.
For me, it would have to be Jersey Zoo on its opening day, 26 March 1959, and then subsequently I'd like to go back on the same day a year later, and a year after that, and so on, each year up to about 1978 (which is when I went there for the first time). Would love to see it change, year by year, from a typical 1960s resort-zoo into a conservation centre. Would also like the chance of meeting Gerald Durrell and Kenneth Smith.
I first went circa 1964/5. It was very small and undeveloped then of course. I remember the 'Mammal House' which was essentially the great Apes, and the walled garden area with species like Pheasants, Servals and the original Spectacled Bear 'Pedro'. Also the bend in the path where the Waldrapp Ibis aviary is(was). There were some other monkeys like Mandrills and Colobus probably from his collecting days, in cages near the Manor entrance. My next visit would have been around ten years later. It had extended considerably by then and was already approaching the familiar layout we know today.
Thanks, Pertinax. I envy you that you were able to see the Jersey Zoo at such a formative stage in its development. I was hitherto unaware that Pedro had spent time in the walled garden, so I've learned something there. If you saw colobus monkeys then your visit would have been no earlier than 1965, as the first colobus monkeys (a group of 7) were brought back from Gerald Durrell's Sierra Leone expedition in May 1965.
Don't quote me about Pedro- but I definately remember he was in a smallish enclosure in that area- this was before he was paired up and the bigger semi-circular enclosure for the Bears was built. At that time the Mammal House had the Gorillas which were still just the two females Nandi and Npongo, nearing maturity by then. Also the young Bornean Orangutan pair Oscar & Bali, + the Chimps. I seem to remember Colobus- I think 1965/66 would have been right. It was the first time I'd ever flown- very exciting...
If I could go back in time I'd take a trip to East Anglia and visit Kilverstone and The Norfolk Wildlife Park. I was in the vicinity of both collections as a child but never got to visit. Both collections had some fairly unusual animals and both were rated quite highly by all accounts.
Jardin des Plantes during the French Revolution and hopefully bump into Cuvier or Buffon. London Zoo the day the Clocktower with the Llamas/Camels was sketched. Maybe even the Tower Menagerie, would love to have seen the polar bear fishing in the Thames. Early Paignton Zoo. But as Ian says, it would be both beautiful and heartbreaking. (at least it would show how far we have come)
I would like to have seen; "Snowflake" at Barcelona zoo Saiga at HWP Mountain nyala at Napoli (don't say it Maguari!) "Spot" the southern elephant seal at Edinburgh, along with the Weddell seals. "Jumbo" at Regent's park. A chance to see Belle vue zoo.
