A zoo's most famous animal

[Javan Rhino]

Nearly every zoo (especially the larger ones) have a particular individual that stands out, a particular individual that everybody knows, and a particular individual that recieves so much media attention they are celebrity in their own right. Some zoos don't just have one, some zoos have quite a number past and present, so here is a place to list them (with any additional information as well if it is known). If you note the collection, the individual and the individual's species, that would be great

So far I can only think of a few:

1) Colchester - Rajang - SumatranXBornean orang hybrid
2) Chester - Tejas - Asiatic lion
3) Edinburgh/Highlands - Mercedes - Polar bear
4) London - Bobby - Western lowland gorilla.

Anybody have any more ideas? Remember, this is past as well as present.

 

[Pertinax]

Racking my brains here...

London- Brumas-Polar Bear born at zoo.
Guy (Gorilla)
Goldie- Golden Eagle- due to her 10 day escape (but later forgotten!).
Jumbo - African(riding) Elephant- way back when(date?)

Bristol. Alfred- Gorilla.
Sebastian- Polar Bear born there.
Rosie/Wendy. both were single Asian elephants & longtime residents

Edinburgh. Mickey- Sumatran Orangutan- 1930's.

Jersey. Jambo- Gorilla( especially after the 'child' incident.)

These things are all relative- regular zoo-goers will have 'favourites' they know by name etc but I'm thinking the ones that have been almost household names in their time- at least locally.

For a lot of other zoos I can't think of any animal at all. Will add any more if they come to me.

 

[Gary]

Victor the Giraffe who did the splits at Marwell.

Ralph the wetsuit wearing Penguin, also at Marwell.

Snowflake the albino gorilla at Barcelona zoo.

 

[Gary]

Chi-chi the Giant Panda at London Zoo.

 

[kiang]

Edinburgh - Sir Nils Olav, king penguin.

 

[Pertinax]

Victor the Giraffe who did the splits at Marwell.

Victor became absolutely world famous but only for the brief few days before he sadly died. So nobody could go and see him really, after he became famous.

How did I manage to leave out ChiChi....

 

[RowanGreen]

London: Winnie the bear. Apparently they used to let children stroke and feed her. One of those kids grew up to write Winnie the Pooh, apparently named after her. They have a picture of her and the author (as a kid) together up at the zoo.

 

[Tarkin]

Belfast Zoo- Tina the Asian Elephant arrived in Belfast in 1966 aged 19 months.

 

[NOTRIK]

Everyone I talk too alway mentioned Sarah at Dudley (sumatran tiger R.I.P)

 

[Tarkin]

One thing i fore got to say is that Tina is alive and well is now mixed with the new elephants.

 

[Pertinax]

Everyone I talk too alway mentioned Sarah at Dudley (sumatran tiger R.I.P)

NOTRIK- how come your Zoochat name backwards is the same as someone else's I know...

 

[zebedee101]

Patty Cake, gorilla (central park zoo then the bronx) living in the UK I was given the scholastic book which first introduced me to zoos.

 

[Pertinax]

I saw Pattycake when she was still in the Central Park Zoo. She became famous because she was the first(only?) Gorilla born at the CPZ and also while she was a baby her father 'Kongo' broke her arm by accident when she reached through the bars to him. She was removed from her mother 'Lulu' to set her arm and handraised for several weeks while it mended- then returned to her mother who took her back again.

Quite a few other zoos have had famous Gorillas, especially in the States. In the UK Joe at Twycross was another who had similar local status.

I think Javan Rhino is looking mainly for UK zoo residents?

 

[Javan Rhino]

I think Javan Rhino is looking mainly for UK zoo residents?

I was mainly thinking of UK residents when I made the thread, but to be honest I really would like to keep it open to other areas of the world. Should this be moved to 'general discussion' then?

 

[OrangePerson]

Charlie the chimp & Amy the orang-utan stand out at Monkey World

 

[Johnny Morris.]

Wendy the Elephant at Bristol Zoo.

oops sorry Pertinax, just spotted you'd mentioned her.

 

[Simon McGlary]

Voytek, the bear at Edinburgh Zoo. Also known as the soldier bear because of his links with the Polish army

 

[john]

Chi-Chi London Zoo

 

[moloch gibbon]

A few other Belfast residents include:

Sheila, the Asian Elephant

Keke, the gorilla

Lizzie, the chimp (still alive and the grand old matriarch of the group)

Jack, the white tiger

Mojo, the B&W Colobus (who did a runner for a week a few years ago and became world-wide news!)

 

[Paix]

Chester Fans! Im quite suprised no one here has mention the relationship between Victor (later renamed Mowgli due to the popular film 'The Jungle Book') the Lion and Peter the Smooth haired Terrier/Sealyham Terrie cross, according the book 'Reared in Chester Zoo'.

Victor and Peter had a fantastic (and unusual) relationship which I believe attracted many visitors. Surely this pair can be included into the Zoo's most famous animals?

Pictures of the pair can also be found within the book!