Wellington Zoo Wellington Zoo's First Resident

zooboy28 · 20 Nov 2014

Perhaps we should create a Wellington Zoo history thread, as articles like this do surface with some regularity. For now, here is a short piece on Wellington Zoo's first resident - King Dick.

Full story & photos here: Lovable lion the pride of the zoo | Stuff.co.nz

He lived in Wellington for only 14 years, but what years they were. King Dick was probably the most beloved animal in the city during his lifetime.

The male lion was gifted to the city by a visiting circus in 1906 and named after Richard Seddon, the recently deceased prime minister famous for his domineering personality and leonine visage.

There was no zoo in Wellington at the time: King Dick was its first exhibit. People loved him. As he grew, Dick's personality began to shine through. Members of the Zoological Society used to say he recognised them and would roll over to have his tummy rubbed.

Dick drew big crowds but also attracted concern as he grew up. Was his cage too small? Was he lonely?

"A looker-on" wrote to The Evening Post in 1908 suggesting someone had to get "a sympathetic and loving companion for that poor creature imprisoned in solitude".

If a female lion was found they should be married and given the run of Newtown Park as a home, the writer said.

The zoo did indeed find a lioness to share Dick's "palace", and they had several cubs and grandcubs.

For a brief time in 1913 it was feared the lioness would have to be given back to the circus she'd been leased from. An appeal was started, supported by editorials in The Dominion.

One wag decided to write a letter to the Post purporting to be from "Queen Dick", appealing for money to keep her at the zoo.

"I am an orphan, my parents having met with gun accidents in South Africa," she wrote. "Unless the [money] is raised I am to be torn away from my husband and children . . . my husband will be left without a wife to do his washing and my cubs will probably be stuck in the monkey-house and left to grow up in bad company."

The money was raised.

The zoo was a bright point in the city during the bleak war years. A series of columns, "Nature Notes", recorded various comings and goings as well as reporting what Dick and family were up to.

One, in August 1916, wrote about how people rushed to see Dick roar as he "serenaded his lady love with his rich diasphonic notes".

"One trembles to contemplate the velocity of the rush there would be the other way about if that fine monarch of the forest were to gain his liberty for a short half-hour."

In 1920 The Evening Post noted he was beginning to show signs of age. "He is now 22 but may live a few years yet as the average life of a lion is 30," it wrote.

However, Dick lived only one more year. He lost the use of his legs and the decision was made to put him down.

The Dominion was quite upset about the news. "King Dick has symbolised all that is noblest in the animal world to thousands of boys who have gazed at him through the bars of his cage."

The Evening Post noted his passing without lamenting it quite as much.

However, it did cover Dick's taxidermy and eventual installation as an exhibit at the Newtown Museum. He was later moved to the Dominion Museum and is now in Te Papa's collections.

As The Dominion wrote: "Just as all dogs have their day, so it is with lions."
Click to expand...

Jabiru96 · 20 Nov 2014

He lived in Wellington for only 14 years, but what years they were. King Dick was probably the most beloved animal in the city during his lifetime.

The male lion was gifted to the city by a visiting circus in 1906 and named after Richard Seddon, the recently deceased prime minister famous for his domineering personality and leonine visage.

There was no zoo in Wellington at the time: King Dick was its first exhibit. People loved him. As he grew, Dick's personality began to shine through. Members of the Zoological Society used to say he recognised them and would roll over to have his tummy rubbed.

Dick drew big crowds but also attracted concern as he grew up. Was his cage too small? Was he lonely?

"A looker-on" wrote to The Evening Post in 1908 suggesting someone had to get "a sympathetic and loving companion for that poor creature imprisoned in solitude".

If a female lion was found they should be married and given the run of Newtown Park as a home, the writer said.

The zoo did indeed find a lioness to share Dick's "palace", and they had several cubs and grandcubs.

For a brief time in 1913 it was feared the lioness would have to be given back to the circus she'd been leased from. An appeal was started, supported by editorials in The Dominion.

One wag decided to write a letter to the Post purporting to be from "Queen Dick", appealing for money to keep her at the zoo.

"I am an orphan, my parents having met with gun accidents in South Africa," she wrote. "Unless the [money] is raised I am to be torn away from my husband and children . . . my husband will be left without a wife to do his washing and my cubs will probably be stuck in the monkey-house and left to grow up in bad company."

The money was raised.

The zoo was a bright point in the city during the bleak war years. A series of columns, "Nature Notes", recorded various comings and goings as well as reporting what Dick and family were up to.

One, in August 1916, wrote about how people rushed to see Dick roar as he "serenaded his lady love with his rich diasphonic notes".

"One trembles to contemplate the velocity of the rush there would be the other way about if that fine monarch of the forest were to gain his liberty for a short half-hour."

In 1920 The Evening Post noted he was beginning to show signs of age. "He is now 22 but may live a few years yet as the average life of a lion is 30," it wrote.

However, Dick lived only one more year. He lost the use of his legs and the decision was made to put him down.

The Dominion was quite upset about the news. "King Dick has symbolised all that is noblest in the animal world to thousands of boys who have gazed at him through the bars of his cage."

The Evening Post noted his passing without lamenting it quite as much.

However, it did cover Dick's taxidermy and eventual installation as an exhibit at the Newtown Museum. He was later moved to the Dominion Museum and is now in Te Papa's collections.

As The Dominion wrote: "Just as all dogs have their day, so it is with lions."
Click to expand...

As interesting the story is I can't help wonder what would someone think reading this out of context ! Maybe I just have a warped mind

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Wellington Zoo Wellington Zoo's First Resident

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