I didn't know there were grey seals in Copenhagen Zoo as late is 1995? Are you sure that these are not common seals as well?
I remember the exhibit though. It was originally built for walrusses and located next to the common seal exhibit. These two were merged in 2004 and to create more then double the space for the common seals.
I remember two seal exhibits and there were two seals in each, although it was 15 years ago and I was 14 years old so I hope for some mersey if I'm found incorrect. But even if species idendification has never been my strong side, being Icelandic, I have know the difference between the seal species for years.
After your doubts, I looked closely at the photo. It is scanned so I cannot zoom in on it as closely as I could with a digital. The difference between the species is chiefly a larger body for Grey and especially its longer, pointy nose. I had always considered these to be Grey by the one to the left on the feeding session photo, it has a long, pointy nose. It is impossible to see the nose of the one to the right as it faces the keeper. But I did notice now that their body shapes looks closer to a Common Seal than a Grey Seal.
I instantly regognised the two seals on the second photo (swimming after or before the feeding) as Common Seals. I zoomed in on that one and there I could see odd difference in the size of their noses. The one to the right is no doubt Common Seal while the other has to be too, even if it has that longer nose (Hybrid?). I had always assumed that the photos were each taken in different exhibits, but now I compared them by the layout of the rocks on the white surface and it is the same exhibit.
So thank you, Detective Toddy, this photo will be renamed now, only thanks to you!
I also zoomed in on this photo and thought that one of these looked like a grey seal. But then I saw your second shot obviously taken in the same exhibit where both were clearly common seals and that is what got me wondering. I know that Copenhagen used to keep grey seals but I didn't think they were still there in 1995.
I don't know, just still a bit convinced that I saw Grey Seals in either exhibit, even if there is some evidence against it. At the age of 14 I could regognise between Grey and Common, it is not hard after all, although a picture taken from a distance and looked at 15 years later does not help much...
I don't have any animal inventories for Copenhagen Zoo; do you have any, Toddy? Or possibly you can check the zoo's archive/library when it opens again after the holidays to check if they had this species in 1995. You'd be doing both of us a favour!
@Baldur: I will see what I can do but I cannot promise anything I have a magnificent book that tells the history of Copenhagen Zoo from 1859 to 1984 (its 125th anniversary) but unfortunately very little exists from the period between 1984 to 1997.
@Baldur: I will see what I can do but I cannot promise anything I have a magnificent book that tells the history of Copenhagen Zoo from 1859 to 1984 (its 125th anniversary) but unfortunately very little exists from the period between 1984 to 1997.
I have that great book too and I've treasured it since the Curator at the Reykjavik Farm Zoo gave it to me ten years ago; a surplus copy they had.
Both it and the Hafnarfjordur Zoo (I have uploaded the few photos I have) had good connection with Copenhagen Zoo and it gets often mentioned in the director's book. They got a Polar Bear from Copenhagen and I think the Magellanic Penguins as well (at least the Zoo and the Charlottenlund Aquarium introduced them to their husbandry). The first Chimpanzee pair they had came from Odense Zoo but Copenhagen quarantined the apes prior to the move to Iceland.
Even if there was little information published between the history book of 1984 and the first guidebook in years in 1997, surely they published animal inventories? I remember seeing them on zoo memorabilia auctions when I was a collector at least.
Even if there was little information published between the history book of 1984 and the first guidebook in years in 1997, surely they published animal inventories? I remember seeing them on zoo memorabilia auctions when I was a collector at least.
