Perth Zoo Bear Pit 1935

Does anyone know which of the following were the 10 different species/subspecies of bear mentioned as being exhibited at Perth? 10 species sounds a lot, even by today's standards.

American black bear
Cinnamon bear
Kermode bear

Asian black bear
Baluchistan bear or Pakistan black bear
Formosan black bear

Brown bear
Atlas bear
Bergman's bear
Blue bear
Eurasian brown bear
European brown bear
Gobi bear
Grizzly bear
Himalayan brown bear
Ussuri brown bear
Kamchatka brown bear
Kodiak bear
Marsican brown bear (critically endangered)
Mexican grizzly bear
East Siberian brown bear
Syrian brown bear

Giant panda

Sloth bear
Sri Lankan sloth bear

Sun bear

Polar bear

Spectacled bear

Ursid hybrid
Grizzly–polar bear hybrid
 
in the 1930s and 50s the list of recognised subspecies would have been a lot different to your list.

From looking through some old papers, it seems that while work began in 1934 on clearing the ground and pegging out the planned site, construction didn't actually begin until 1937. It had to wait until the penguin pool (for fairy penguins) was completed, which took until 1937. They were still trying to fund-raise for the bear pits in 1936. The pits, according to one 1934 article, would provide five compartments for bears grouped around a pool for the two polar bears.

From various newspaper articles, in 1934 and the following few years the bears at the zoo included two polar bears, two Russian brown bears, Himalayan bears (number not given), Borneo and Malayan bears (presumably both referring to sun bears from Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia), and a black bear (species unnamed, referred to in one article as "the black bear from South America" which I think probably meant North America) which died in 1940 after 26 years.


Unrelated to the old bear pits, there's a 1987 photo of Ussuri brown bears in the gallery - http://www.zoochat.com/23/ussuri-brown-bear-enclosure-perth-zoo-29999/ - although with a comment that they are probably the Hokkaido bears, and also mentioning black bears and a kodiak/grizzly cross.
 
Thanks for additional info here.....

I can only remember a single pit from the 1970s, which held a pair of young Asiatic Black Bears. Possibly the others were still there but not viewable. Polar Bears had their own enclosure, and all other bears were in the 'Bear/ Dog Row' of concrete cages (the one with BEARS in big red letters written across the top).

The Ussuri bear picture was take at the latter on the late 80s......I changed the title after the comment about the Hokkaido pair, since I assumed this meant that's what they are? Are Hokkaido bears a different (sub)species to Ussuri? Single island race?

Don't suppose you have any pics of any of the above mentioned enclosures?
 
Newzooboy said:
Thanks for additional info here.....

I can only remember a single pit from the 1970s, which held a pair of young Asiatic Black Bears. Possibly the others were still there but not viewable. Polar Bears had their own enclosure, and all other bears were in the 'Bear/ Dog Row' of concrete cages (the one with BEARS in big red letters written across the top).

The Ussuri bear picture was take at the latter on the late 80s......I changed the title after the comment about the Hokkaido pair, since I assumed this meant that's what they are? Are Hokkaido bears a different (sub)species to Ussuri? Single island race?

Don't suppose you have any pics of any of the above mentioned enclosures?
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Ussuri bears are found over a wider area than just Hokkaido, but I don't know if Perth had two types of Ussuri bears or if they just had the Hokkaido version of Ussuri bear.

I am quite confused over all the accounts of enclosures for bears at Perth over the years. Many papers earlier than 1934 mention a bear pit at the zoo, as well as the bear cages themselves. Some articles specifically refer to the cages as bear pits (i.e. using "bear pits" as a general term for a bear cage). The construction of the bear pit from your 1934 article didn't start until 1937 and (given how long their penguin pool took) may not have been completed for several years. But then that 1993 article I linked to said the bear pits were constructed in 1955. I couldn't find any articles about construction of a 1955 bear pit, but I also couldn't find anything about a different pit for the polar bears.

Was the black bear pit you saw in the 1970s next to the bear cages? And where was the polar bear pit in relation?

I know there was a bear pit by the cages (presumably the one from your 1934 link) because several sources mention it is now beneath the Australian bushwalk area.

I haven't seen any photos of the old pits except the polar bear one from the 1970s and now I can't find that again (it was on a Facebook page, and they don't show up in Google Image searches). I gather it could be viewed directly across but also from above like a pit. In 1972 a man jumped into the pit after attacking several people, and was killed by the two bears in there.
 
Thanks for the info on Japanese Brown Bear (sub) species. I think Perth probably just had a pair of Hokkaido bears and all there other brown bears (over the years) were of other original........but I don't know for sure.

I am no expert on the full history of Perth's bear enclosures. I did visit the zoo many, many times between 1974 and 1978 (and then once in 1987).......never again since. I know what I remember and have photographs of (sadly very few)...but I was pretty young so could easily be mistaken.

There was the row of large bare concrete cages (the so-called (at least by me!) 'Bear/Dog Row') - I only remember Brown Bears and Hunting Dogs in there, but there were certainly other species present; a small deep pit (may have been two) with a high dead tree in the middle which held a pair of young Asiatic Black bears for at least some of those 4 years in the 70s; and then finally the large new (in the 70s) enclosure for Polar Bears. This was a sort of pit but not dug into the ground, rather high brick walls creating hte same effect. You could only view from above via a concrete platform/ walkway which allowed viewing over the top of the wall or, I think, through little windows placed in the top of the wall.

I have a map from 1976/77. Will dig this out as will assist with placing locations of everything.

Incidentally, the 'bear caves' that are still present and now represent a hstrorical display of Perth's past, I don't remember at all from the 1970s. They MAY have held dogs (dingo, wolf, etc) then and been in a dark corner that I didn't frequent very often, or they may have been off-show by then. Again the map may help.

Back with more later...
 
Newzooboy said:
Thanks for the info on Japanese Brown Bear (sub) species. I think Perth probably just had a pair of Hokkaido bears and all there other brown bears (over the years) were of other original........but I don't know for sure.

I am no expert on the full history of Perth's bear enclosures. I did visit the zoo many, many times between 1974 and 1978 (and then once in 1987).......never again since. I know what I remember and have photographs of (sadly very few)...but I was pretty young so could easily be mistaken.

There was the row of large bare concrete cages (the so-called (at least by me!) 'Bear/Dog Row') - I only remember Brown Bears and Hunting Dogs in there, but there were certainly other species present; a small deep pit (may have been two) with a high dead tree in the middle which held a pair of young Asiatic Black bears for at least some of those 4 years in the 70s; and then finally the large new (in the 70s) enclosure for Polar Bears. This was a sort of pit but not dug into the ground, rather high brick walls creating hte same effect. You could only view from above via a concrete platform/ walkway which allowed viewing over the top of the wall or, I think, through little windows placed in the top of the wall.

I have a map from 1976/77. Will dig this out as will assist with placing locations of everything.

Incidentally, the 'bear caves' that are still present and now represent a hstrorical display of Perth's past, I don't remember at all from the 1970s. They MAY have held dogs (dingo, wolf, etc) then and been in a dark corner that I didn't frequent very often, or they may have been off-show by then. Again the map may help.

Back with more later...
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Much of what you have mentioned tallies with my memories. The bear row included (not necessarily all were kept at the same stage) Asiatic blacks, Malayan Suns, the Hokkaido pair, Syrian pair and also a Grizzly/Kodiak cross, in addition to the hunting dogs and striped hyaenas. Maned wolves apparently were also in this row at some stage. Polars were on the end. The viewing of the latter was from high up over the walls, while the rest of the row was at ground level through bars. Don't remember how many pens altogether but roughly half a dozen.

Don't believe that there have been any other browns apart from those I have mentioned (during the 70/80s; although going back further is another matter). Definitely there was a pair of Hokkaido bears (t'was myself that has mentioned it previously in the gallery), but they may have been also referred to as Ussuri or something else. Apparently they were real bastards for trying to swipe the keeper's feet in the narrow dark raceway at the back.

An interesting 'fact' (told to me by a friend who used to work the round) - the 'escape' procedure should a bear accidentally have entered the raceway, there was a small hatch at the end which lead directly into the banteng paddock (behind the bear row). This was not necessarily a better nor safer option!

The existing 'bear caves' did hold canids (definitely dingos, red fox) at some stage, probably after the bear row was constructed. For some reason I feel that I saw animals in them, but this must have been very early to mid 70s. A bit vague.
 
tetrapod said:
They are. I suspect the list was lifted roughly from Wikipedia or similar. Most of the subspecies mentioned are pretty vague and probably not valid ie. European browns vs Eurasian browns...
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yeah, it was straight from Wikipedia's "List of bears" page.

If you click on either Eurasian or European (on the actual page) both links take you to Wikipedia's main page on Eurasian Brown Bear.
 
I have located my old Perth guidebook and maps.

The guide and accompanying map were definitely purchased on a visit in summer (xmas time) 1977 (I know this because we never purchased any guidebooks on visits, but my grandparents visited from England that year and purchased one as a souvenir, which came back to me when my granddad died in the late 80s).

I also have a map from 1987.

I will scan and upload them shortly, and also some pictures from the guidebook.

I suspect, however, that it was actually printed in 1975 (there is code number on the back which suggest this) and they stuck with the same issue for some time afterwards. It supports tetrapod's memory of the the polar bear enclosure being directly next to the bear row. However, it does not mention the bear pits at all......seems no one except me remembers these. I think they may have been near the second entrance/ exit. It also does not feature the nocturnal house, which I remember when first opened (1976?).....although does note that the site is 'under construction'.

Anyway, it seems that my long gestated Perth history project is gathering pace.......
 
I suspect the list was lifted roughly from Wikipedia or similar.
Indeed it was. I wanted to know what the ten species of bear were that Perth Zoo held. Prior to this week, I wasn't aware 10 species of bear existed so copied it over to help people in answering my question. :D
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Added some comments to your maps on the gallery. Had just a thought that the remains of the polar bear exhibit may be under the wallaby/tortoise exhibit on the 87 map. This was an odd exhibit as there was a high wall to view into the exhibit (basically eye-level with the tortoises). Would go some way to explaining the oddness of it all. Of course all now under the Aust bushwalk exhibit...
 
@tetrapod Hey do you remember if all six of the 'Bear/Dog'' row enclosures had occupants during the 1980s?, was wondering if those six enclosures in Bear/Dog row were about 10m wide each?
 
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They were probably on their way out. I don't remember exactly when the two bear exhibits up the hill were built, but by then PZ only had the Syrians and sun bears. Striped hyaenas went to Singapore (I believe), maned wolves were in large grassy pens around where the farm is now. Believe natural attrition for Hokkaido browns and Grizzly/kodiak cross occurred during this time. Not sure about polars, whether any were moved over east.
Hix has this photo from 1987, so they were obviously still in use: Hyena cage, 1987 - ZooChat
10 metres square looks about right, possibly a bit more.
 
Hey i received a reply email from PZ today.

To start with is the contradictory thing stated in the email was the female Hokkaido Brown Bear dying on the 11.6.1985 which i cant see how if she was in the photo taken by @Newzooboy in 1987 so PZ's record of her death must be mistaken in the year. They said her companion the male Hokkaido Brown died 22.5.1995 which i was surprised to hear and wondered if he was kept off display for a good 5 or more years?

Apparently the Sun Bears from the 1980s (1970s too??} and early 1990s were three individuals (i was only expecting two for some reason) named Belinda (died aged 22), Shah (died aged 20) and Mawar (died aged 20 also) however i did not get the dates of their passing. I wondered perhaps if the last of these Sun Bears may have passed sometime around 1992/1993?

The Kodiak/Grizzly Bear cross apparently died 12/01/1987.

On the subject of two twin exhibits (not twin in size though), the first which formerly housed Barney & Missy the sibling Syrian Brown Bear pair (now SC Otters & Binturong) and the second the current Komodo Dragon exhibit that formerly housed Sun Bears/later Maned Wolf/then Red Panda circa 1995-1997 and then back to three Sun Bears Barbera, Sean & Viva the predecessors to Jamaran and Bopha, the email from PZ stated that these two exhibits opened in 1986 but I actually wonder if that was a construction or planning start date as a) the 1987 map from Newzooboy doesnt show the exhibits and a media statement from 1993 states these exhibits were built 5 years prior (circa 1988).

Lastly and this is off the specific subject but in the email too the apparent opening year of Harmony Farm was 1988 which i always thought it was early '90s, only a couple of years difference I know but in relation to learning from Newzooboys's map and from @tetrapod thanks guys btw, that the zoo's Maned Wolves were kept on this site for a number of years I was wondering if perhaps when the farm was built if the Maned Wolves may have ended up in some of the old Bear row enclosures around 1988 until the last remaining individual inherited the former Sun Bear's exhibit. That media statement from 31/08/1993 that has been mentioned before by someone else and me at the end of last paragraph was the time that the Bear row enclosures were bulldozed at a cost of $50,000 aud (some 6,000 tonnes of concrete and steel apparenly is what the foundations of those enclosures were). However in that media statement it is said that those enclosures were vacant after the two new Bear exhibits were built which i found surprising as I thought they would have kept a few canid species in them such as the afforementioned Maned Wolves for maybe 2 or 3 years after the Bears died or were moved.
 
steveroberts said:
Hey i received a reply email from PZ today.

To start with is the contradictory thing stated in the email was the female Hokkaido Brown Bear dying on the 11.6.1985 which i cant see how if she was in the photo taken by @Newzooboy in 1987 so PZ's record of her death must be mistaken in the year. They said her companion the male Hokkaido Brown died 22.5.1995 which i was surprised to hear and wondered if he was kept off display for a good 5 or more years?

Apparently the Sun Bears from the 1980s (1970s too??} and early 1990s were three individuals (i was only expecting two for some reason) named Belinda (died aged 22), Shah (died aged 20) and Mawar (died aged 20 also) however i did not get the dates of their passing. I wondered perhaps if the last of these Sun Bears may have passed sometime around 1992/1993?

The Kodiak/Grizzly Bear cross apparently died 12/01/1987.

On the subject of two twin exhibits (not twin in size though), the first which formerly housed Barney & Missy the sibling Syrian Brown Bear pair (now SC Otters & Binturong) and the second the current Komodo Dragon exhibit that formerly housed Sun Bears/later Maned Wolf/then Red Panda circa 1995-1997 and then back to three Sun Bears Barbera, Sean & Viva the predecessors to Jamaran and Bopha, the email from PZ stated that these two exhibits opened in 1986 but I actually wonder if that was a construction or planning start date as a) the 1987 map from Newzooboy doesnt show the exhibits and a media statement from 1993 states these exhibits were built 5 years prior (circa 1988).

Lastly and this is off the specific subject but in the email too the apparent opening year of Harmony Farm was 1988 which i always thought it was early '90s, only a couple of years difference I know but in relation to learning from Newzooboys's map and from @tetrapod thanks guys btw, that the zoo's Maned Wolves were kept on this site for a number of years I was wondering if perhaps when the farm was built if the Maned Wolves may have ended up in some of the old Bear row enclosures around 1988 until the last remaining individual inherited the former Sun Bear's exhibit. That media statement from 31/08/1993 that has been mentioned before by someone else and me at the end of last paragraph was the time that the Bear row enclosures were bulldozed at a cost of $50,000 aud (some 6,000 tonnes of concrete and steel apparenly is what the foundations of those enclosures were). However in that media statement it is said that those enclosures were vacant after the two new Bear exhibits were built which i found surprising as I thought they would have kept a few canid species in them such as the afforementioned Maned Wolves for maybe 2 or 3 years after the Bears died or were moved.
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Re: Hokkaido bears. Definitely not still alive in 1995. I think you will find that both died in 1985. Possibly they were siblings and may have euthanased the second with the death of the first. They must have been reasonably old.
Re: Sun bears. Don't recall seeing the original sun bears in the grotto enclosure, but obviously they were the intended species. Cannot imagine they still had three animals for that enclosure, although in saying that then PZ went and imported another three bears for it! Was only just large enough for the red panda or current Komodo dragon. Date of last of the original bears would be about right.
Re: Maned wolves. Definitely there were individuals kept in the old bear pit row at some stage. With the death of the last original sun bear, PZ filled the grotto enclosure with the remaining maned wolf. Whether it moved directly from one enclosure to the other I cannot say (there was potential off-show housing). Eventually it was rehomed at Dubbo around ~1995.
 
tetrapod said:
Re: Hokkaido bears. Definitely not still alive in 1995. I think you will find that both died in 1985. Possibly they were siblings and may have euthanased the second with the death of the first. They must have been reasonably old.
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So dies this mean that my photo - mentioned above and definitely from June 1987 - is not they? What would be the alternative?
 
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