Ross Allen confronts Big George, the largest alligator in captivity, at Silver Springs, Florida. Silver Springs was the home of the Ross Allen Reptile Institute.
Ross Allen's Reptile Institute
Ross Allen (herpetologist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ross Allen (I) - Biography
Marco Kristen, note the Seminole Indian Village in the clip below. I am ready to concede to you that the "human zoos" were not an exclusive German endeavor of Hagenbeck and others. It seem's to have been a trend, even in relatively "modern" times here in the Colonies. You were right, I was wrong(which is as common as the passing of Halley's Comet!!!)
Ross Allen, Bill Haast, Jungle Larry Tetzlaff, etc. etc. What an exiting world it was that those gentlemen lived in!!!!! How could it be gone forever, and we are left with Jack Hanna?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Vintage Florida Alligator Farm--Ross Allen
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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9 comments:
Wade
Great stuff from those grand old days....whatever happened to the California Alligator Farm? or the Japanese Deer Park?
Toby Styles
Don't forget the reckless abandon of Steve Irwin. Who by the way was more popular in the US than Oz.
Nikki,
We are not left with Mr. Irvin. He may have been more popular here in the Colonies, but we never misinterpreted acting like a putz for "reckless abandon." Anyone who ever knew Jungle Larry, knows he had the clown schtick down pat, long before Jack Hanna ever dreamed of it.
Wade
Toby,
The Alligator Farm moved to Buena Park in 1953 after sharing adjoining acreage in the same park with the Selig Zoo(later Griffith Park, now LA Zoo), since 1915. When the lease expired at Buena Park due to dwindling attendance in 1986 the alligators were moved to Arther Jones place in Florida.
Japanese Deer Park was also at Buena Park and closed in 1975. Facing mounting red ink, and forclosure the owners began giving the park's deer lethal injections, claiming the animals had tuberculosis. Almost 200 deer were euthanized before authorities busted them. In 1976, Ralph Helfer and partners moved onto the site and opened Enchanted Village. Using the Japanese themed buildings on site, in a stroke of Ralph Helfer "corn ball and cheeze" Enchanted Village changed to a South Pacific-Tiki Polynesian themed park, with Helfer's style of animal acts most notably Dave McMillan's Flying Tigers and Carol Buckley(of later TES fame) in jungle fern bikini and Tarra.
I believe most all of Buena Park was redeveloped into hotel's and industrial parks.
Wade
Addendum to Toby,
Enchanted Village closed in the fall of 1977, a year and a half after it opened.
Wade
Playing the clown...ok... Thats how u get a sting ray barb in the chest.
Nikki,
Exactly. Crickey, ask America's Own. He's been there, done that more then enough time's. Fortunately for him, he hasn't yet blundered into a fever of stingray.
Wade
Wade your comment makes me laugh. Voluntary assumption of risk I suppose.
Nikki,
It wasn't meant to be funny. The longer you are around the nitwit, the more sympathetic you will become. It's not a joke, it's just plain and pure sad. :)
Wade
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