Toronto Zoo Riverdale zoo

Colin

Colin

Active Member
As you may know before the Toronto Zoo there was the Riverdale Zoo. The Riverdale Zoo opened in 1888 - 1974 when the animals were moved the current site of the Toronto Zoo. In 1978 the site re-opened as Riverdale Farm.
I happen to live close but haven't visited yet. I was looking for some old pictures of the site and figured I would share my few findings.

These pictures are steal proof so here are the links:

This is a picture of what has been called the Monkey house. This building still stands today but doesn't contain animals.

Riverdale Park - 1921 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

A more current picture of the same building I found.

The 'Monkey House' on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Polar bear cage - 1941

Riverdale Park ? polar bear cage - 1941 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Riverdale Park 1920's. I am not sure but I think the pond area is part of the zoo. Currently the field is there but if there is a pond it is in a heavy wooded area belonging to the farm.

Riverdale Park, looking east - 1920 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Riverdale Zoo overview 1925.

Riverdale Zoo - 1925 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Another site with a single picture of one of the cages.

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from: Charles D. Woodley Riverdale Zoo, Toronto, circa 1935 presented by Stephen Bulger Gallery

Two last pictures from another site showing a Lion and Wolf (in a dog house:confused:)

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From:Riverdale Zoo and Farm

I found it quite hard finding pictures from this time. I would be interested if anyone has others. I also enjoyed looking at the other Toronto pictures off Stephen James' Flickr site.

Hope you enjoy

Colin
 
It's amazing to look back at what Zoos were like then. So much has changed now in the housing and care of the animals!!
 
That Lion's name was 'Charlie' and he sired more than 40 young with his mate 'Jane', Jane was unable to nurse and as a result, all of the surviving young were raised by zoo staff.
 
I've got some information regarding the elephants from Riverdale. My mom lived close to the zoo in the 1970s and she told me you could get pretty close to the elephants (she was sprayed with mud by one once while standing outside the enclosure).

I found some old pictures off Ebay showing the Asian elephants that used to live at the zoo...they had at least two different individuals. One died in 1902 as described in the article below and there was an adult female as shown in the 1913 postcard. Most animals were moved to the new Toronto Zoo site but not the Asian elephants.....don't know where they ended up.

I was in discussion with some staff from Riverdale Farm and they provided the following information:
Riverdale Zoo was established in the Park in 1894 with two wolves and a few deer. Canadian and African animals were added over the next few years and 20,000 people visited the Zoo the first weekend that the lion and elephants were on display. Riverdale Zoo closed in 1974 and the animals were transferred to the new Metro Zoo in Scarborough.


If anyone has more information on the elephants please share.

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Elephant death
Clipping from the "St. John Daily Sun" Tuesday, July 15, 1902.

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Riverdale elephant 1913

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Elephant enclosure

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Elephant in the bottom right corner
 
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The primary elephant keeper was Jack Pyne and he referred to the elephants by the names Dolly and Mohon, Mohon was sold to another zoo and a short time afterward fell into a mote surrounding the elephant enclosure. Mohon died as a result of the injuries sustained in the fall.
 
Riverdale Zoo pics when I was much younger

The chimpanzee was Cocomo and this was taken in the keepers locker and lunchroom, downstairs from the monkey house. The Lowland Gorilla was Leonard and that was taken inside the cage. :D
 

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Riverdale Zoo said:
The primary elephant keeper was Jack Pyne and he referred to the elephants by the names Dolly and Mohon, Mohon was sold to another zoo and a short time afterward fell into a mote surrounding the elephant enclosure. Mohon died as a result of the injuries sustained in the fall.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information on the Riverdale elephants, thats very interesting. Also nice photos of the primates.
 
Riverdale Zoo said:
The primary elephant keeper was Jack Pyne and he referred to the elephants by the names Dolly and Mohon, Mohon was sold to another zoo and a short time afterward fell into a mote surrounding the elephant enclosure. Mohon died as a result of the injuries sustained in the fall.
Click to expand...

Actually his name was George Pyne and I knew him quite well, while he was working at the Metro Toronto Zoo. Mohan went to the Calgary Zoo and was pushed into the moat by his mate three time and died of injuries! Dolly was sold to a circus trainer and ate feed and died of poisoning in Denver, Colorado. They originally ordered a pair of Asians around 1902, the first one died shortly after arriving and Cap, died several years later. After the autopsy it became known that he was a she! There was also another female that lived a short time in and died of rickets. I have a brass plaque of her 5th birthday in October 1926!

The zoo closed to the public in 1973 and was used as holding area for the new Metro Toronto Zoo, I helped move the last of the animals out after I started work at the new zoo in July '74

Happy Days
Wayne
 
Riverdale Zoo said:
The chimpanzee was Cocomo and this was taken in the keepers locker and lunchroom, downstairs from the monkey house. The Lowland Gorilla was Leonard and that was taken inside the cage. :D
Click to expand...

Leonard was the third Gorilla born at the National Zoo and was exchanged for a male Orang-utan, named Archie! He sired the first twins in captivity! I saw him in October '74 and he died shortly afterwards during a routine knockdown for a physical! My old boss Herb Southam used to let Leonard climb the trees in the zoo and from time to time take him up to their cottage!

Happy Days
Wayne
 
Riverdale Zoo said:
That Lion's name was 'Charlie' and he sired more than 40 young with his mate 'Jane', Jane was unable to nurse and as a result, all of the surviving young were raised by zoo staff.
Click to expand...

This is most likely not Charlie, I looked after Charlie (actually his official name was Charlemagne) and Jane from '76-'77 and both were put down later that year due to severe arthritis. I believe they were both in their 20's, which is average for lions! Charlie was purchased by a well off family in Toronto as a house pet and then they purchased Jane to accompany him. When they got too big for the house, they were donated to the Riverdale Zoo. You are right about Jane not being able to raise the cubs, my old bosses wife Mable Southam handreared them all and quite a few other cats and other animals at both the Riverdale Zoo and the Metro Toronto Zoo. Charlie was a real sweet heart to look after and was afraid of brooms or even a brush! Meanwhile Jane would rather take a swat at you than look at you! The couple who owned him used a broom to move him around the house, to get him out of their way!

Happy Days
Wayne
The Retired Wanderin Elephant Man
 
Great! Many thanks.My business associate in Toronto actually went there..but being a non-zoo person he cant really describe what it was like..."you could touch the bear".
 
RoelofNL said:
Does any body have a map of the Riverdale Zoo?
Click to expand...
I’m still alive and remember the zoo grounds like the back of my hand, still have keys for many of the cage’s too, I could easy elaborate on the map shown above if there is interest some day I shall make it a mission to post more old Riverdale photos for posterity. Thank you for the interest, David S.
 
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