The guide book provides a little more info on these labels:
-Sloth Bears are not actually mentioned in the book, rather there is a listing for hybrid bears, "born in the Adelaide zoo and are brown bears with a touch of Himalayan bear in their ancestry".
-The hyaenas were Spotted Hyaena, interestingly, one bit a girl's finger off in 1951 according to the Auckland Zoo timeline.
-Turkey Vultures were on display.
-"Large birds" likely refers to Sarus and Demoiselle Cranes, although possibly to other large waterfowl and ibis as well.
Overall, large carnivores are well represented, as are Australian species (including two Petaurus species) and primates (except South American primates and Prosimians). Small mammals include Coyote, Coati, Crab-eating Racoon, Agouti, Porcupine and Fox Squirrels. There is a complete lack of antelope species, with all ungulates either feral in NZ or domestic species (except giraffe).
The only ratites present were Emu (Cassowary were present in 1950), and I'm assuming these were still kept over where they were in the 1950 map (on this map between the vultures and the kiwi), with cranes labelled as "large birds" as this is where they were in 1950.
That might be a bit of a cultural misunderstanding, "bush" in NZ essentially means forest, usually native although the "bush" on the map is dominated by introduced pine trees. This part of the zoo is a steep hill, so was unsuitable for animal exhibits. It is now inaccessible to the public, as the entrance has been moved to the opposite side of the zoo, and the exhibits at the top closed.
The tea party chimps were imported from London Zoo in 1956 and 1959, and the tea partys were phased out in about 1965.
The Zebroid was donated to the zoo, and lived there for 20 years. It was probably nearing the end of its life in 1965.
This part of the zoo is a steep hill, so was unsuitable for animal exhibits. It is now inaccessible to the public, as the entrance has been moved to the opposite side of the zoo, and the exhibits at the top closed.
Yes. I don't know for sure but this is almost certainly the case. As far as I know, the exhibits leading up the hill (paddocks) have all gone, but there are definitely cages up the top where the siamngs lived for awhile, and the Asiatic Golden Cats lived up here too. I imagine the flying-foxes are up there at the moment too. I think they also do some native bird breeding up there, and it might be where the native frogs are.
