ZSL London Zoo Old photos of London zoo

[MARK]

I have enjoyed looking at the old photos in the gallery of London zoo which lead me to look at the London zoo's website where I found some really old shots taken as far back as the 1800s, In one photo it shows a Hippo taken in 1827, after looking at that photo it appeared to me that it may of been the same yard as the one which held the Sumatran rhinos long ago in the late 1800s with the same high brick work in the back ground and the square pool, Luckly Rhinos.

 

[^Chris^]

I really like some of those old prints on the ZSL website. It really shows how zookeeping has come along in the last 200 years!

There is something to be said for their uniforms though, the keepers look like the classic cartoon image of a zookeeper. I think it looks quite cool.

One photo that surprised me, is the one of a baby orang hugging a tree kangaroo. It just struck me as odd, I can't imagine tree kangaroos have ever been that common in Europe, yet it must have seemed dispensible enough to risk being the play thing of an orangutan.

 

[MARK]

I also liked that photo and yes you are right they must of been uncommon

 

[Tim May]

.....In one photo it shows a Hippo taken in 1827, after looking at that photo it appeared to me that it may of been the same yard as the one which held the Sumatran rhinos long ago in the late 1800s ......:

Yes, I agree; there are some superb historic zoo photographs on the zoo’s website.

Hippos at London Zoo were always kept in a building adjacent to the Giraffe House, which was built in 1850, especially for the zoo’s first hippopotamus ‘Obaysch’ who arrived on 25th May of that year.

I don’t believe that this building was ever used for rhinoceros; the Sumatran rhinos were kept in the old Elephant House

 

[Pertinax]

Hippos at London Zoo were always kept in a building adjacent to the Giraffe House.

I remember seeing Hippos(and the smell..) at London Zoo as a child(1950's) but nothing much about where they were kept then. Do you know if the Hippo house was one of the smaller 'wings' of the Decimus Burton House, or was it a seperate building which disappeared when the Cotton Terrace Houses were built?

 

[Newzooboy]

Another superb reference for old photos of london zoo is John Edward's 'London Zoo from old photographs'.

 

[Tim May]

I remember seeing Hippos(and the smell..) at London Zoo as a child(1950's) but nothing much about where they were kept then. Do you know if the Hippo house was one of the smaller 'wings' of the Decimus Burton House, or was it a seperate building which disappeared when the Cotton Terrace Houses were built?

Decimus Burton’s Giraffe House was built in 1837; the Hippopotamus House was added as an extension to the eastern side of the Giraffe House in 1850.

The Hippo House was demolished in 1960 as part of the Cotton Terraces development; the current eastern wing of the Giraffe House was added when the Cotton Terraces were built; it is not the old Hippo House.

I was only a very small child when the Hippo House was demolished, but I have very vivid memories of seeing (and smelling) the hippos there; it was my favourite part of the zoo.

How I wish the ZSL would have common hippos back at London Zoo – preferably with underwater viewing, perhaps like the Berlin exhibit........

 

[Pertinax]

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How I wish the ZSL would have common hippos back at London Zoo – preferably with underwater viewing, perhaps like the Berlin exhibit........

Me too. This IS a species that could concievably do justice to the old Elephant House building if it (or at least one side of it) was specially redesigned for them. The outdoors could have also have a large pool, preferably with underwater viewing both inside and out.

 

[Bwassa]

Wow! What a fantastic idea! But, with Whipsnade having both species, would London do the same.....

 

[MARK]

It is a good idea it would make a good exhibit.

The photo inside the old Whipsnade elephant house in the gallery is amazing, so if any of you guys have ANY old pic's taken at London or Whipsnade zoo's please post them in the gallery. Cheers.

 

[Cat-Man]

i love the old pictures of london zoo, and have two old guide books with great pics of the place

 

[CZJimmy]

Me too. This IS a species that could concievably do justice to the old Elephant House building if it (or at least one side of it) was specially redesigned for them. The outdoors could have also have a large pool, preferably with underwater viewing both inside and out.

I know the building is listed, but are the paddock fences?

Concievably, ZSL could combine both paddocks into a "doughnut" shaped paddock stretching around the entire Casson Pavillion. This would the double the available outdoor land.

 

[^Chris^]

I know the building is listed, but are the paddock fences?

Concievably, ZSL could combine both paddocks into a "doughnut" shaped paddock stretching around the entire Casson Pavillion. This would the double the available outdoor land.

It wouldn't be an ideal shape though. I think the best solution would be if they could stretch sideways into the pygmy hippo pool there. I don't know either if they are allowed to do that.

Did anyone see the old photo of the chimp, the mangabey and the macaw? That's another odd one you would never see in a modern zoo!

 

[johnstoni]

They would be able to pile earth over the barrier and moat to create a continuous stretch of land without demolishing the structure itself.

 

[zelda]

Tenuously linked - I was watching american werewolf in london last night and they have scenes shot in London zoo. Probably filmed 1980/81 Was quite interesting, but I was wondering whther anyone here (pertinax?) could tell me who the gorillas were likely to be. They were young and pretty active, was nice seeing them actually using the top "canopy" climbing section of the enclosure, as I don't thing the last gorillas who lived there really did.

 

[Pertinax]

d they have scenes shot in London zoo. Probably filmed 1980/81 Was quite interesting, but I was wondering whther anyone here (pertinax?) could tell me who the gorillas were likely to be. They were young and pretty active, was nice seeing them actually using the top "canopy" climbing section of the enclosure, as I don't thing the last gorillas who lived there really did.

The Gorillas at that time would have been Salome(born 1976 at London) and Kumba(born same year at Jersey Zoo). As youngsters they did use the roof structure, but some of the older females in later years would also go up and sit in it too.

Kumba was exchanged with Chessington Zoo, where he later died.
Salome is now at Bristol Zoo and rearing her son 'Komale'(born December 2006).

 

[zelda]

Thank-you!

 

[Londonboy]

Another superb reference for old photos of london zoo is John Edward's 'London Zoo from old photographs'.

It's a brilliant book with some superb photographs, but difficult to get hold of these days. There is a copy in the Zoo library you can borrow.

LB

 

[Meaghan Edwards]

I love old zoo photos, and London's are no exception

 

[tim b]

Just noticed this thread,i doubt that any kind of photo is from 1827 as the camera hadnt been invented then!Also the zoo wasnt open the public at that time and the first hippo didnt arrive until 1850,The earliest known zoo photograph is of a sheep paddock at the Jardin des Plantes,Paris [1851].As for the John Edwards book it took him about a dozen years to sell out-so if you havent got it you have only yourself to blame [he only sold out last year].