@MRJ
Holy moley 10 sq m!!!!? That is horrific. Would consider that way too small to even house say a possum in. But for cats (even small ones) thats insanely cruel. Yeah can see why was a campaign back then for the zoo's closure. MZ certainly has come a long way, even further than realised. I know other zoos had similarly barbaric enclosures (well cages in every sense of the word really) in those eras, some remedied the situation sooner than others back then. Thank god for changing times. Have heard Chester Zoo was fairly good comparitevly from when it opened in early '30s apparently George Mottershead really set-out to make it a zoo without the awful tiny cramped cages that were 'the norm' of the time (would be other examples too like maybe Whipsnade and some zoos on the continent of Europe and maybe San Diego). But when MZ's Lion Park opened it sounds like was 'top-tier' exhibit for its time and signalled the beginning of the 'turnaround' era for MZ.
Thanks for sharing memmory about Chair of the (zoo) Board too.
@Jambo "I too noticed the interesting Kangaroos and Ostrich mixes, perhaps the Ostriches were a temporary replacement for Emus."
You are overthinking it. Melbourne Zoo was a menagerie - a random collection of wild animals. If you have a spare cage find an animal to put in it, if you have a spare animal find a cage to put it in.
Oh ok phew-(kind-of) for the cats' sakes (obviously still not great but not level of extreme thought.
Yeah Taronga had some of their tigers (the Sumatran ones) and leopards in ≈85 sq m {6.5mx13m} enclosures in their 'Big Cat house' until beginning of 1990s so similar sort of size (became the 'Jungle Cats' exhibit for golden cats & fishing cats in '90s, Tassie' devils now). Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers daughter who was also in the ZooWatch organisation included mention of these cramped quarters for the tigers and leopards in a critical review article of Taronga from about 1983/1984.
@steveroberts "As a kid thought had seen an Indian white-rumped vulture at Bannamah Wildlife Park in south-west WA"
Vultures can live to 60 years, so a bird imported in the late '40's could well have been alive in 1994. Most likely imported by Perth Zoo then passed on when they decided they did not want it any longer. Vultures are quite distinctive, unlikely you would have mistaken it.
Oh that makes sense, wow amongst the several birds with impressive longevity then. Funnily enough know an example too, where Bannamah received Perth Zoo's wedge-tailed eagles in the late 1980s when the latter decided to convert the large aviary their eagles had been living in into a new home for their siamang pair Ringo & Starr. You inspired me to run a quick search on Trove (*vultures mentioned in this article saw on there mentioning here assume would of been one of the African species given the origin of shipment, but interesting still). '(Perth) Daily News' archived article from new years day 1947 said a shipment onboard a boat called Mangarella docked in Fremantle on way to eastern Australia around Christmas time of 1946 with numerous animals from Africa where it had arrived from, as I already mentioned; and Edward Hallstrom commisioned Perth Zoo to be gifted from the shipment: two vultures (no species mention), two African wildcats, two tawny eagles, two small owls (nsm), a kite (nsm) and a tortoise ''(the tortoise)..from the Seychelle Islands..'' so would surmise with pretty much certainty that the latter was an Aldabra tortoise. Likely that ship had some of the black rhinos' destined for Taronga around that time onboard too (one of which Dynah would funnily enough end up back in that direction at Perth Zoo for 30 years before going east again in '81, but am digressing from Melbourne Zoo discussion sorry).
@steveroberts "Perth Zoo to be gifted from the shipment: two vultures (no species mention)"
Almost certainly one of these. Don't worry about the location. Could have been picked up in India on the way through, or could have been the similar African white backed vulture mis-identified. Also could have come with the wedge-tails. Funny to think of a ship dropping off animals at ports (almost certainly including Adelaide and Melbourne) at Hallsrom's command.
Cheers hey, that makes sense, yeah very likely actually going down to Bannamah together (side note; the founder of the park, former dairy farmer and injured wildlife nurser/rehabilitator (continued the latter at his park with his wife Catherine and daughters) Aubrey 'Aub' Chugg was made an honorary national parks wildlife ranger by state of WA and collected mainland Quokkas from the bush close to the park in the early '70s, some of which could imagine may have ended up at Perth Zoo at some point, wouldn't be surprised if there was always some trading and gifting between the two, all research to this point indicates Bannamah was one of the **few fellow (public display) animal park in WA alongside Perth Zoo when it officially opened in December 1970 , which Harry Butler was invited to do official opening honours opening (Aub began work on the park in October '68 apparently).
Yeah it is really funny thinking about a ship dropping animals off at ports (agree completely that Adelaide and Melbourne zoos would of received animal giftings too from same shipment almost certainly) at Hallstrom's command, his influence reach was remarkable hey. This shipment only couple of years shy of the 1949 bird importation restrictions (wonder if Hallstrom's shipments of birds of paradise etc from New Guinea still managed to come through even during the 1950s still a bit too possibly, had heard his critics sometimes accused him of being a 'smuggler' at times and perhaps was what they were referring to. No one would say he wasn't a fascinating individual though critic or admirers or in-between like myself (not overly critical, just with exhibits built during his time at Taronga concrete and bars and small, the mock rock renderings fascades were interesting architecturally but didnt benefit the animals, was of the era though, and perhaps not listening to criticism well or ignoring some other senior staff's suggestions (albeit it is normal even today that isnt possible to agree to every idea suggested anyway), but brought a lot of fascinating animals into the country, look back with historical fascination, and wasnt around personally back then so some of what have heard is still technically conjecture).
**there had been a small private native zoo in Albany in beginning of 20th century but long gone by then. Then Bullens family opened Wanneroo Lion Park in '71 (closed '88) in far northern outskirts of Perth which also was the area Yanchep national park had small native collection on public display including Koalas sourced from the east, think the still open Cohunu Koala Park in southern Perth was next animal park to open in WA c.late 1975 was next animal park to open and they were the sole public display animal parks in WA during the '70s along with PZ and Bannamah).
@MRJ first and foremost, appreciate the responses!
Really interesting to hear Ocelets we’re once kept in the middle section! I presume before the refurbishment in the 70’s, it was just concrete floored as old photos suggested - would’ve been a very interesting of ocelets to say the least.
The 10 x 10 enclosures for the big cats were the norm in the early 20th century for most zoos worldwide but certainly they would’ve been considered far outdated by the 60’s. How many cages were there here in total? And any idea which species were kept?
