Animals: Zoomen

In St. Louis, last week, U. S. zoomen, animal catchers and park directors attended the annual meeting of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums and the American Institute of Park Executives. Those who had been on jungle hunts since their last convention a year ago had many a tale to tell. Curators who had stayed at home listened to the big hunters talk, chatted among themselves about the best food for lions, the care of young orangutangs, what to feed snakes, etc. One zooman had too many elephants on his hands, wanted to swap a good female for some animal he did not have. John T. Millen, director of the Detroit zoo said he had so many lions he did not know what to do with them all. He started raising them two years ago. One of his original nine was killed. He sold fourteen and still has 25. Last week, his Lizzie gave birth to five more, an unusually large litter.

The Detroit zoo uses the German Hagenbeck system of keeping its animals from eating the public. Bars are replaced by low walls and moats which make it impossible for the animal to escape and which preserve a more natural environment. Dr. Millen told curators that the system works well, can be used for every type of animal. The only trouble he had was with his skunk display. Three ordi nary skunks crawled into the moat with Dr. Millen’s 20 clean, deodorized animals, contaminated them. The Hagenbeck sys tem was so effective that, once in, the strangers could not get out.

Dr. O. Emerson Brown, director of the Philadelphia Zoo (oldest in U. S.), an nounced the diet he had used to fatten a young gorilla. Every day he fed it butter milk, oranges, bananas, zweiback in warm milk, lettuce, bread & honey. Just before it went to bed, he gave it an apple and a teaspoonful of codliver oil. When the gorilla came to him three and one-half years ago, it was one year old, weighed 12 Ibs. Now it weighs 7½ Ibs. Dr. Brown has also successfully raised many orangutangs born in captivity. Offspring of caged orangutangs are usually weak, catch diseases, die. Said he: “We have learned that the most important factor in breeding orangs is to secure a congenial pair. . . .”

Conspicuous among the zoomen was the only zoowoman in the world: Mrs. Belle J. Benchley,* 46, directrix of San Diego Zoo. Every year she spends $150,000 on her zoo, hires more than 40 people to look after the animals. She explained her unique position to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch newsman. Said Mrs. Benchley:

“They spoiled the world’s best cook to make a zoo director out of me. I do not see why more women do not go in for it. Women sense the condition of animals more quickly than men. . . . Even the elephants know me now, taking care not to push against me or hit me carelessly with their trunks.”

Other famed convention members were: Hermann Ruhe, animal dealer from Alfeld, Germany; Edmund Heller, director of Milwaukee Zoo, who accompanied Theodore Roosevelt to Africa; John T. Benson, U. S. representative for Animal-man Carl Hagenbeck; Mrs. Mary Akeley, widow of the late famed Explorer Carl Akeley. Chairman of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums for the coming year is George P. Vierheller, director of the St. Louis Zoo.

Boxers

Miss Polly Blaine Damrosch arrived last week in Manhattan on the lie de France from a European vacation. Because she is the daughter of Walter Johannes Damrosch, oldtime concert master (now with National Broadcasting Co.), news photographers took her picture with her most prized European imports—two unusual-looking puppies. In some parts they looked like mastiffs, in other parts like bulldogs. Miss Damrosch said she bought them in Germany, that they were called German boxers and were new to the U. S. so far as she knew.

Although known, German boxers are very scarce in the U. S. Thirty years ago, Herbert H. Lehman (now Lieutenant Governor of New York) brought over the first one. He now has three, likes them better than any other dog. The boxer is a very old, pure breed, known in England 350 years ago. About 100 years ago its popularity waned and the type died out in England. At the same time, German fanciers adopted them. Today their popularity is increasing especially in Germany, Holland, Austria. Germany has formed special clubs for pedigreed boxers and their owners. Like the mastiff which they resemble, they are terrific fighters, make good watchdogs. They are affectionate, easy to train. A full grown boxer is about the height of a Doberman Pinscher but has a much broader body, sturdier legs.

* No kin of Funnyman Robert Charles Benchley.