After spending a crazy number of hours cataloging and organizing a couple of new packages of zoo maps, my collection is now at 1,700 different zoo/aquarium maps. It's actually rather delightful to spend a few afternoons perusing the maps and exactly 50 different countries are represented and a great many zoological facilities all over the world. I've accumulated a number of extras over the years and I have a package of 107 maps all ready to go if there is someone on this site willing to make a trade. It would have to be someone whom I've never traded with before so they'd receive a totally fresh batch of maps. If that individual does not have any zoo maps then I'd be open to the idea of obtaining guidebooks in exchange...however many one would feel is appropriate.
Holy Moley snowleopard I might have one or more of the St Louis Zoo from the seventies if you would be interested. I can probably check in a few days once I take down my Christmas lights and reorganize my garage.
It's easy and over the years I've sent at least 20 packages to countries as varied as the United States, Poland, Australia, New Zealand and England. I compile a big collection of extra maps that I already own and don't need, place them in an appropriate parcel and pay postage to send them away to a person's address somewhere in the world. I include my home address on the package and a month or so later I receive a terrific assortment of maps and guidebooks in return. Done! Every single time I've sent off a package I've received a fair trade in response and there has never been anyone not honour the agreement. Zoo enthusiasts are an honest bunch!
@snowleopard, I've got a little stack of maps waiting to go out to you but will probably try to add to it before sending it.
Since I started this thread 3 weeks ago I've made a small trade of 15-20 maps to one individual overseas, and I also purchased a set of 9 guidebooks from American zoos that range from 1969 to the early 1980s, along with 6 maps of the St. Louis Zoo from the 1970s. Collecting zoo memorabilia is awesome, as a recently acquired zoo map of Saint Louis Zoo (from 1979) lists 4 Baikal Seals in the collection in the Aquatic House, "the only ones in the U.S.". The Aquatic House contained "three large aquariums and 18 small ones", there was a breeding herd of Gerenuk elsewhere in the zoo, and there were Speke's gazelles, "the only breeding zoo herd in the world". Fascinating stuff! So...is there anyone interested in 107 zoo maps? If it's not possible to do a trade in maps, why not send me a bunch of guidebooks instead? Whatever one would consider a fair trade...
I used to have a map of SEA LIFE Minnesota before it became a SEA LIFE aquarium, but sadly I threw it out a while back. I never thought I would need it for anything. Now I wish I had kept it for trading.
I don’t have anything to trade but I was wondering if anyone had the 2016-2017 guidebook for Bristol Zoo?
Since posting this thread around 80 days ago, I've now made 4 different transactions where I've either purchased some zoo memorabilia or made trades and everything has worked out perfectly. However, I still have the original package all ready to go and it has now been boosted to a grand total of 130 zoo maps (approximately 80 from American zoos and 50 from mainly European zoos). Is there anyone out there who is willing to make a trade, whether it is for maps or guidebooks? Whatever one thinks is appropriate works for me! I've not got anywhere near the number of zoo guidebooks that many other zoo nerds have, but as things stand right now I have almost 200 guidebooks from a wide assortment of zoos all over the world. I also have 1,800 zoo maps in my collection (all alphabetized and organized by country within files in several secure plastic containers) and if a fire ever broke out in my home I'd first help out my wife and 4 kids and then I certainly know what I'd save next. Anyone want 130 different zoo maps? If no one has maps to trade then I'm more than willing to accept some zoo guidebooks instead...whatever one deems to be appropriate.
