Carl Hagenbeck is the gentleman in the middle. If somebody had an
impact on an industry it was truly this gentleman. His zoo and ideas, caused the bankruptcy of the Hamburg Zoo, and completely revolutionized the keeping and training of animals in captivity. Many zoo in North America had the Hagenbecks design and build their new zoo's. Detroit, St. Louis and Milwaukee come of the top of my head.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Carl Hagenbecks ideas created a new term in the English language--European Style
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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7 comments:
I think we're pretty good about acknowledging the impact that gentlemen like Herr Hagenbeck had without being too judgmental by the standards of today. Hagenbeck was revolutionary and some of his designs remain viable even now. Ideas that evolved out of Hagenbeck concepts, the Rotterdam fence for example are a mainstay in how we display plains and grassland animals. Hagenbeck had a few failings. He was no better than his peers when it came to transporting animals whether to parks on on circuses that bore his name -- and he wasn't particularly interested in reproduction... But those are minor quibbles considering his influence and impact.
Ben
Ben,
Very few people were concerned with reproduction or proper transportation. There was an availability of replacement animals, and it sure took a long time to address those shortcomings/failings, leading us to the issues of today. What is a Rotterdam fence? I have never heard that term.
Wade
A Rotterdam fence is a false embankment fronting a conventional fence or moat giving the illusion that nothing separates you from the enclosure other than that little knoll in front of you, and maybe a bit of decorative fence along the path.
Absolutely true about the notion at the time that wild replacement animals were an inexhaustible resource
Wade, don't forget Cincinnati also.
Mary Ann
Ben about that Dutch fence is that like what is in the animal section in Disneyworld ?CleanRaul
Raul, can't say...LOL...I believe I'm the last person in American who can claim to have never been to Disney nor seen the movie Titanic. I did go to an AAZK (American Association of Zookeepers) meeting at Disney once, but that was a long time ago and I believe we came in the back way.
Ben
Ben,
One of the last. I have not been their either. Never had the interest. I gotta admit, I watched 15 min. of the Titanic on DVD, before I had enough.
Wade
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