Yesterday, I asked zoo historian Richard Reynolds if he had any information about this place. If he doesn't do about something he can sure find out.
From Charlie Hoessle (ex-St Louis Zoo Director) to Jim Alexander (11-1-08)
Tarpon Zoo was owned by Trudy Jerkins, and, Mike Tsalikis. Trudy ran the place, and Fred Penman was the Manager. Mike spent most of his time in the Amazon, where they had holding places in Leticia. Berencia, and other ports, along the Amazon. They were major sources for Zoo animals, especially Pink Porpoises, Giant River Otters, Tapirs, and all the great Reptiles and Amphibians, and Birds of the area..
Ralph Curtis ran their Hollywood, Florida branch, which was close to the airport, and received the stock, and helped in the transition to Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Zoo was a big operation.
They supplied many specimens to St. Louis, under Marlin Perkins, Vierheller, and Hoff. They were a major source of baby boas, baby iguanas, baby caiman, baby side-necked and assorted herps, to me when I had my Pet Shop, in the '50's.
Ralph sold me a baby Crocodile, which I sold, and bought back, as it got older. I brought it to the St. Louis Zoo, when I arrived in 1963..Before I retired, we sent it to Cincinnati, where it is on the display, probably one of the biggest American Crocs, in the country..Ed was going to name it "Charlie", after me, but instead, he named it "Marlin", after, guess who..(More Famous)
Trudy still lives down there. Mike is in prison, a result of "Drug Related" charges, which he maintains, he was always innocent.
Ralph Curtis stays in touch with both of them....I forwarded your E-mail to him...He is collecting information on early animal dealers, and, Roadside Zoos..I think he plans on writing a book...(Historical).
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Jim Alexander added - - -
I thought Charlie would know about the Tarpon Zoo. They might have been the source of the giant river otters we had in STL.
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Ken Kawata added - - -
Yes, Mike T. (last we heard he was in federal prison for drug dealing) had a zoo in Tarpon Springs, in which Herman Reichenbach used to work as a young man. In the summer of 1979 in Leticia, Colombia (or was it in Peru then?) I went to see his compound; he was very kind and showed me around. In a separated location in Tarpon Springs Bob and Mae Noel had a place for great apes, chimps, orangs and a male gorilla. I visited them in the summer or 1972, time was tight and I regret that I skipped Mike's zoo. Ken
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Thank you RJR and learned gentlemen who offered insight.
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Ralph Curtis Publishing, Inc.
Thank you RJR and learned gentlemen who offered insight.
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15 comments:
Zoo and Aquarium Visitor .
http://www.zandavisitor.com .
Great place for zoo and aquarium visitors.
Anonymous,
I did check out the site you recommended. Very nice, and all should look at it and enjoy.
Wade
Last heard about a month ago (Sept. 2010) that Tsalikis had been released. It was also said that his health wasn't the best as he is like 83 years old now but he's doing ok..... Oh and BTW he wasn't one of the old school hunter's....he was the old school teacher......
For what it's worth, here's some info on Tarpon Zoo and related subjects (in more or less chronological order of experience)
Summer of 1951, Sterling Williamson and I (from PA)hitched to FL. Stayed around Ross Allen's a few days, became friendly with Kit Beecher (worked for R.A.)
Kit was awestruck of one Arthur Jones (of Tarpon Zoo) and took us with him to visit there (he was picking up stuff for Allen).
No Jones at the place. Beecher described Jones and Tsalikis as the owners. The people we met and who managed the place were Trudy Jerkins and John Stevens (but we got the impression from them that neither of them were owners--Mike was the owner but stayed mostly in S.A.--and that Jones wasn't an owner, either but mainly a collector (usually by buying and setting up local collectors) ranging from central America, around the Gulf, to FL. Kit left for Ocala--we stayed in the general Tarpon vicinity for almost a week. Went with them to Tampa twice to unload planeloads of animals; met "Rattlesnake" Ray Singleton somewhere around Tampa.
Much later, met Kit again: I was working for Bo Miller in North Hudson, NY summers of 1956 and 57; Kit joined us in '57.
Back to the 1951 summer. In San Antonio, met and became friendly with Johnny Werler. My buddy and i had to split up. Intending southern Mexico, my papers weren't satisfactory. Hitch-hiking between S.A. and Laredo, accidentally came across Frank White (Cotulla), one of Jones' major suppliers, especially diamondbacks. (Also--ran out of money but had a $150 check on Black Hills Reptile Gardens, which Werler cashed for me.
Worked at Black Hills in the '53 and '54 seasons and sold Earl Brocklesby several hundred pounds of diamondbacks and mixed harmless for delivery the following season (Apr., '54). Bought the stuff from Frank White and shipped to S.D. and then hitch-hiked up to start work.
In 1960. met Manuel King (son of Snake King)in Houston. Also, Johnny Werler had become Curator of reptiles there. Drafted there.
Got out in Aug, '62--went back to Houston but Manuel was now in pet end of business.
Ran an errand for Manuel to Colima to pick up a bunch of snakes but especially black iguanas (for U.T. Dental branch) from Jesus Garcia, one of Jones' biggest collection points. The stuff was supposed to be ready but Jones beat me to it, so I had to stay for a week while we collected what I needed to take back (thru Matamoros/Brownsville).
I left Texas shortly afterward and involvement but am still friends with "Big Jim" Miller (visited him in Austin last winter). Also have seen Jimbo Miller at the Soco Gardens (Maggie, NC.)about 5 years ago.
I never met either Jones or Tsalikis. Jones offered me a job (on the phone) along about '58 but I didn't take it. Big Jim has film of his dad, Bo, killing a bull African elephant with a '44 magnum--taken by Jones in Africa. Jones had some TV episodes on a show called "Bold Journey" in the late 60s. Sometime in the '70s, I saw Mike Tsalikis on TV--he was on an island in the river (Amazon?) with a lot of monkeys he seemed to be 'storing" there. A year or two later, I read of his being arrested for drug involvement of one sort or another.
Jones died a few years ago. Of course, he had invented Nautilus and his former compound is now a real-estate project (Jumbolair) of his last wife.
I talked to Manuel King on the phone a couple years ago.
Just ran across the articial on Tarpon Zoo. I worked there for Trudy for 4 years and was a very neat place to work... I went to Miami with the truck to pick up shipments. Being from Canada,working at the zoo was something I'll never forget.
Thank you
Hemen Harris
KING OF AQUARIA sez: "Would anyone remember the name of the collector who spent a lot of time on the Amazon catching dolphins for zoos and aquariums? He wrote a story of how he had gotten lost in the Rain Forest and prayed that if God had him rescued he would spend the rest of his life teaching Sunday School."
I worked for Mike in the summer of 1968 in Leticia and later in 1969 and 1970. He as an amazing man. If he is out of prison as someone mentioned in 2010, I am delighted. I would love to find out how he is doing. If anyone knows, Can I be notified? I was known as Dale Nelson then.
Thank you.
Mike Tsalickis is still doing awesome. In fact he still lives in Tarpon Springs for anyone who still wants to learn his stories full of adventure.
Was searching for the Tarpon Zoo to see when it was operating. I am 65 now but as a young child my parents took me to to the Tarpon Zoo. At the time they had a Chimp in diapers running free in the gift shop. I had a soda and when I went to place the empty bottle in the rack the Chimp was waiting there. Apparently he liked to drink the last few drops from the bottles. Well I was very young and didn't know what that was about, so I guess I didn't release the bottle when he/she went for it so the Chimp sunk it's teeth in my wrist. I still have the scar. The folks in the shop at the time sprinkled so yellow powder on it and a bandaid. Was just interested to see if I could figure out how old I was at the time.
Hi Dina and Anonymous,
I would love to know if Mike is still alive? I have been reading up about him for some time now and I interested to know if he is around still..
Many Thanks
Beki
My self and oothers would like to know where we could possibly get a Tarpon Springs Zoo T Shirt we saw someone that was wearing one would love to have one !!
Barely remember it's existence, never actually went there, but lived on lake tarpon. Lots of stories, rumors, etc about it. Can anyone say where it was located exactly? From what I know is that it was east of 19 and between Lake St (now MLK) and Anderson Park.
Now my heart stings are ringing. In 1962 Larry Darling and I would skip school,hang out in the Hammock and orange groves in Dunedin, collect snakes and dig out gopher turtles and occasionally ride our bicycles to tarpon zoo and sell our creatures. There were 2 large circular sunken pits crawlin' with goodie's. I had a price list at one point.
On one of the early Allman Bro's album's one of the player's is wearing a Tarpon Zoo tee shirt. Talk to me.
I have some old family movies of a zoo that my brother says he remembers being in Tarpon Springs. I'm guessing it was the Tarpon Zoo. I'm in the process of having them digitized. When it's done I'll post it to You Tube and leave a link here.
I used to buy reptiles mail order from the Tarpon Springs Zoo in the early 60s. $.25 got you a price list that went on for pages and included sections for both venomous and non-venomous snakes, all sold by the foot. I bought rattlesnakes through the mail when I was 14. They would have sold me a King Cobra if I had the money. Different times.
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