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New book: War Zone Zoo

Discussion in 'TV, Movies, Books about Zoos & Wildlife' started by K. Prenger, 7 May 2018.

  1. K. Prenger

    K. Prenger Member

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    Maybe you find it interesting to know both of her parents (born in the wild) also died during WW2. Father Jas was shot by soldiers in Rotterdam Zoo (Blijdorp) in 1940, mother Kaska II died in Warsaw Zoo during German bombardments in 1939. You can find all this information on the excellent elephant database I mentioned before.
     
  2. FBBird

    FBBird Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    This is covered in a bit more detail in The Zookeeper's Wife.
     
  3. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Thanks a lot again. I know that parent asian elephants from Warsaw Zoo died during the WW2. However a book on zoo history in Poland from the 1970 says that both Jas and Kasia died in Warsaw zoo during the first days of the war. This source is much closer to the events both in time and geography. Therefore I am inclined to trust it.

    Do you know what happened to a male nile hippo from Warsaw Zoo? Jan Zabinski in one of his popular books wrote in amazement, that this hippo, although a tropical animal, survived in broken, unheated pool and being loaded on transport by German troops in near-freezng temperatures.
     
  4. FBBird

    FBBird Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    You're quite right, both parent elephants died at Warsaw, shot and bombed respectively.
    I don't know about the hippo.
     
  5. K. Prenger

    K. Prenger Member

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    You're right about the parent elephants. I misinterpreted the information on the website I used as my source. Father Jas was transferred from Rotterdam zoo (Blijdorp) in 1929 to Warsaw Zoo, where he was euthanized (shot) by soldiers on 2 September 1939.

    Unfortunately I don't know the fate of the hippo from Warsaw zoo. I'm afraid he hadn't the luck his Berlin "colleague" Knautschke had.
     
  6. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    The latest issue of Zoo Grapevine & International Zoo News is out now (Issue 47, Summer 2018) and there is a review of your book inside. If you haven't already ordered a copy, then I could take a photo of the review and send it to your email address. Send me a private message if that idea interests you.
     
  7. MJB

    MJB Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I think a book written by me is missing: El Parque Zoológico de Madrid: 1774-1994


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