Animals Always - 100 years at the St Louis Zoo

[Arizona Docent]

Thread title is the name of an excellent book I just finished reading. It is a history of the St Louis Zoo (Missouri, USA). Very nicely illustrated, with a hard cover and large size - basically a coffee table book. Good, easy to read text - nothing too in-depth, but just enough for a good overview. (Perhaps ZooChatters would like a bit more, but I think you would still find it enjoyable). Good mix of historical photos and current photos. If you have been to the zoo (as I have), it is even better, but I think any zoo lover would enjoy this book.

 

[Pertinax]

I've noticed that many of the early postcards from St Louis Zoo show circus-style 'trick' performances of Big cats/Lions, Elephants, Chimpanzees riding on Ponies etc. while no other American Zoos seemed do this (to any extent) during the same era. So it seems for some reason the early St Louis Zoo was unusual in being Circus orentated?

 

[Arizona Docent]

Yes, the book actually covers this. The long-time director during that era wanted the shows to draw crowds and attention to the St Louis Zoo. Basically trying to make it famous (which apparently it was).

They had regular elephant shows and chimpanzee shows and lion/tiger shows. Interesting photo of the lion/tiger act - the performer is sitting on a swinging rope that is held on each end by a male lion (rope in its mouth). Behind them are six tigers standing on pedestals. In a quote from the trainer, he said he liked to have lots of lionesses in the mix too, because then at least one of them would be in heat, and with the male lions attracted to her it made the show more exciting!

 

[Pertinax]

In a quote from the trainer, he said he liked to have lots of lionesses in the mix too, because then at least one of them would be in heat, and with the male lions attracted to her it made the show more exciting!

I should have thought that would have been a sure recipe for disaster- or a shorter life for the trainer?

Male Lions get very 'piggy' when with a lioness in heat and might be less reluctant to attack him than normal. Presumably he knew their behaviour very well though.

 

[MARK]

I should have thought that would have been a sure recipe for disaster- or a shorter life for the trainer?

Male Lions get very 'piggy' when with a lioness in heat and might be less reluctant to attack him than normal. Presumably he knew their behaviour very well though.

I would of thought the same as you Pertinax

 

[dawnforsythe]

Chimp shows

I've noticed that many of the early postcards from St Louis Zoo show circus-style 'trick' performances of Big cats/Lions, Elephants, Chimpanzees riding on Ponies etc. while no other American Zoos seemed do this (to any extent) during the same era. So it seems for some reason the early St Louis Zoo was unusual in being Circus orentated?

Detroit Zoo was VERY big into the chimpanzee shows. Riding ponies, acrobatic stunts, bicycles, etc. In the 1940s and 50s there were up to 20 different acts, giving 4 and 5 shows a day. Of course, they had to keep a fresh supply of young chimps, as most of the chimps were "transferred" out of the zoo system when they were 7 or 8 years old.

I've posted some pics of the show chimps in the gallery. I've posted an article from 1949, here: http://www.zoochat.com/562/chimpanzee-training-circa-early-1950s-204752/