Chlidonias

Auckland Zoo map, 1980s

during at least part of the eighties the Auckland Zoo didn't have a guidebook, but instead had this fold-out map with some info and photos on the reverse side. The map appears to be orientated with south to the right rather than at the bottom. Interesting species on the map (in as much as they are not found in NZ today) are camel, gemsbok, brown and polar bears, wombat, raccoon, and Tasmanian devil (!).
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I've just realised that the edition of this map that I have is slightly different, apparently an older version. I would date mine early 1980s, as it mentions the aquarium (built 1980), but does not have the new Orang exhibit, which opened Jan 1987 and is shown in this map.

The main differences are that mine:

-Has a Red Kangaroo in place of the Mara
-Has no "Wombat" next to the Racoon
-Has Camels in place of the Giant Tortoises
-Has an empty paddock where the camels are
-Has no Kangaroos with the Emu
-Has a waterfowl pond between the aquarium and Elephant pool
-Has Macaques instead of Orangutans
-Has Orangutans where the chimp cage is
-Has Giant Tortoises where the Red Panda is
-Has an Otter? where the Monitor Lizard is
-Has a Kangaroo exhibit where the NZ Forest aviary now is
-Has much fewer spots on the giraffes
where is the monitor on the map?? I can see what appears to be an otter on both maps (next to the bears), but I can't see a monitor anywhere.

And speaking of bears...there are three species pictured here aren't there? Polar, brown and sun (or Asiatic black?).

Also, what the heck is the brown thing next to the rabbits if the thing by the agouti is a wombat and not a devil? Maybe its a guinea pig? But it has been removed from your map.
 
where is the monitor on the map?? I can see what appears to be an otter on both maps (next to the bears), but I can't see a monitor anywhere.

And speaking of bears...there are three species pictured here aren't there? Polar, brown and sun (or Asiatic black?).

Also, what the heck is the brown thing next to the rabbits if the thing by the agouti is a wombat and not a devil? Maybe its a guinea pig? But it has been removed from your map.

If you imagine the map split into eight sections (as it is folded), then the monitor is in the top left corner of the second section on the bottom row. Hope you understand that. :D Between the Band Rotunda and Chimps might be a more useful description...

According to the back of the map I have, the zoo has Polar, American Black and Sun Bears.

I have been wondering about that actually, as the thing by the rabbits definitely has a wombat look about it. It could be a guinea pig I suppose, but I'm not sure. Maybe the black thing is a Tasmanian Devil?
 
If you imagine the map split into eight sections (as it is folded), then the monitor is in the top left corner of the second section on the bottom row. Hope you understand that. :D Between the Band Rotunda and Chimps might be a more useful description...

I have been wondering about that actually, as the thing by the rabbits definitely has a wombat look about it. It could be a guinea pig I suppose, but I'm not sure. Maybe the black thing is a Tasmanian Devil?
ah yes I remember the monitor cartoon now (I always thought it looked more like a Komodo dragon than a lace monitor).

The devilish thing does look very like a devil, and the cute thing by the rabbits does look very like a wombat.
 

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