Taffy III above, now lives at the South Wales Borderers Museum.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Taffy III--Recorded in the battalion ration roll of the Royal Regiment of Wales as Gwilym Jenkins
For Glenn Sullivan
Unfortunately,this year,if this is the same goat it had to be euthanaised due to age related illness and an attempt was made to collect semen but unsuccessful as far as I know.The nanny's are still present and I don't know if a new male is to be used or whether that would break with tradition.Speaking of mascots I remember a tiger being used in OZ 25-30 years ago in an army regiment.I think they just have proxy's now if they are exotic which is a shame.Love all that pageantry.I've been too the 'Trooping the colour' and it is excellent.The horses are turned out and some.Cheers ay.
Glenn
Glenn,
Boy, is it a small world. Thank you for the update on Lance Corporal Windsor. I was just going to contact you and verify for sure that retired British soldiers were actually sent to Whipsnade, to live out their lives in peace and harmony in the Garden of Eden. I was just a little suspicious that it was only "Windsor Palace public relations spin." You will note the video above, and why I was concerned that, possibly the truth was that after service in the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh, soldiers were stripped of their rank, and sent to the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment to serve. LOL The Aussies may have had a mascot, but according to the BBC William/Billy Army number 25232301 was not a "mascot, but a ranking member of the regiment."
You are right mate, Royal pomp and circumstance is the greatest thing in the world, and the British are at the top of the game, that's for sure. I hope to be lucky enough to witness it live some day.
FYI The tradition of having goats in the military originated in 1775, when a goat walked onto the battlefield in Boston, during the Revolutionary War and led the Welsh regimental colors at the end of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Funny, but I would think that would be a thorn in the crowns ass that they wouldn't want to be reminded of over two centuries later, by the constant presence of a goat. I'm just saying....
Wade
The Royal Ethiopian Abyssinian lions today
ALJAZEERA Nov. 22, 2006
Stuffed bodies of Ethiopia's rare black-maned lion cubs are sold for $400
A lack of finances and zoo space has resulted in the cull of the Abyssinian lion population, according to the administrator of
Experts say only 1,000 Abyssinian lions remain in
Muhedin Abdulaziz, the zoo's administrator, said his US $64,000 budget was simply not enough to provide for more than 16 adult lions, which cannot be reintroduced to the wild.
"There is a shortage of place and a shortage of budget and when they are over-populated, most of the time we send them to taxidermists," Muhedin said.
"It is not really good, but we do this is because of the problems we have," he said.
"For the time being our immediate solution is to send them to the taxidermists, but the final and best solution is to extend the zoo into a wider area," Muhedin said.
Bodies sold
The
The culling is done by a vet who kills the cubs with poison. The bodies are sold for about US $175 each to taxidermists who then retail the stuffed lions for US $400.
The zoo, built in 1949 during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie, was intended to rear the animals for exhibition as symbols of his rule. Selassie was ousted in 1974 by a pro-Soviet Marxist-Leninist military junta.
Currently, there are 15 adult lions and three cubs at The director of the wildlife division of
Awareness "We are not aware that this is happening," said Tadese Haile, refusing to comment further on the matter. A wildlife expert said he was offered 11 cubs last year but declined because he did not have enough land. "[The government] have to create public awareness, there should be a lot of people interested in seeing lions," said the expert on condition of anonymity. "In "Some experts say these lions are no more in the wild and they should not be killed every year," he said. "They are part of our natural resources and we need to keep our natural resource." However, it costs about $4,000 US per month to feed the 16 lions at the zoo and the government has refused to send them to foreign conservation facilities because they are only found in the Horn of African country. "They are endemic lions," Muhedin said. "They are not present anywhere else in the world so the government says you can't give them to other places." "Our maximum capacity is for eight pairs of lions. We have two rooms for eight cubs, but when they grow we have to send them to the taxidermist, we don't have any other alternative," he added. |
Haile Selassie I--The Lion of Judah
The photo above, date unknown, marks the historic moment Haile Selassie I decided to be forever known as The Lion of Judah, which packed a bigger punch publicity wise then The Cheetah of Judah.
Haile Selassie I--The original Lion King
His Imperial majesty, Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords and Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah, together with Empress Menen, May 17,1924 Note the lion cub on the leash, held by an "aide."Haile Selassie I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
King Cheetah--Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Is Tarongo keeping their Cheetahs and King's together? That seem's odd, unless possibly they are same sex animals, or the Cheetahs are hetro's.
It is now in the books, and will be thus recorded.
There was a remarkable zoological break through this weekend, that many of you might not be aware of on the "history channel." After great discussion about dilutes, genes, and color phases last year, we gave feline lover extraordinaire Mary Ann Howell the option of choosing the official circus no spin name for the lion pictured above, from an extensive list of dilute color phases. She choose Champagne, and it became a Champagne lion. But an even better, more appropriate name was suggested on the "history channel," and the name is now officially changed from that of Champagne lion to Cremei lion. It is a name changed somewhat from Creamiline, by dropping the last "i", and adding an "o", and making it two words instead of one. As there is no specific scientific name for this lion, it will be officially recorded and listed as Cremei lion(Panthera john milton goodini) so as not to be confused with Panthera leo.
For any folks who have often wondered how the latin name is decided on for an animal, recorded below is the process:
Anonymous said...
Blackie Diller was sent out west by Terrel-Adkins and bough 24 "Yellow" horse to be trained for three liberty acts for the new Cole Bros. Circus. Merrit Belue and John Smith, among others immediately went to work in the Ri9ng Barn, but it seems they hired Cristiansen with his "creamiline" liberty act as well. We do know that these were the nucleus of the Co0le famed 16 horse hitchj/ johnny
Wade G. Burck said...Col.
Due respect, what is a "creamiline" horse?
Wade Burck
A cremiline is a palomino. Jorgen's were among the first brought over supposedly. My Dad toured a summer with Jorgen doing fair dates with them.
Bob Good
Bob,
Do you mean a cremello? There is no horse breed or color known as "creamline?" Horse's that have the cream gene in addition to a base coat color that is chestnut will become palomino if they are heterozygous, having one copy of the cream gene, or cremello, if they are homozygous.
Or were you meaning a Criollo(which is what I believe Jorgen had)which is the native horse of Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. The most popular color of a Criolla is a line-backed dun, but it also comes in bay, brown, black, chestnut, grullo, buckskin, palomino, blue or strawberry roan, gray and overo colors.
Wade Burck
Mr. Cristiansen goy alot of PR mileage, even to this day by you Wade. He knew to give the color a name and hence Creamoline and Criolla. So it was not ju8st a liberty act but a fabukous breed that he purchased from horse jockeys in Indiana. He laughed all the way to the bank. But believe me the routine was "par excellence".
Sunday, November 28, 2010
"Bob" Train--Sarasota, Fla.
Charlie Smith Tent No. 131 Annual Sarasota Luncheon BOB's Train January 24, 2011 11:30 am Sarasota, FL The event will be held on RBBB House Car No. 175. The car has been completely renovated and has seating for 70 people. Many vintage photos, posters, and other memorabilia decorate No. 175. Guest are invited to enjoy the luncheon and honor the memory of the Tent namesakes Charlie and Kitty Smith. Meet other Circus Fans, performers and show staff. Afterward make a tour of the train and visit the JOMAR, the historical Ringling coach that served as the railroad home of John Ringling and John Ringling North. Food selections: A. Sliced beef with Provolone and spinach; B. Chicken in a Balsamic sauce; C. Filet of fish in herbs and extra virgin olive oil. All selections come with mixed organic greens and toppings of carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes. Also there will roasted red potatoes, green beans, JOMAR peaches, coffee, tea, and soda. Climb aboard for food served buffet style. Train Luncheon reservations $12.00 per person. Doesn't include tip. Pay day of event. Cookhouse Flag: 11:30 am SHARP. No walk-ins. Reservations: Ed Sheehan, 941-358-1535 - tuffiisdad@comcast.net RESERVATION DEADLINE : JANUARY 10, 2011 Bob's Train located on School Ave., off Fruitville Road, by the railroad.
Courtesy of David Orr
William Windsor
This world we live in is almost to perfect to be believed. It does not need to be changed, fixed, tweaked, adjusted, or politically corrected. It is just fine. When you can breed and produce a soldier in the same way that Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses and Royal families have been bred and produced for centuries, using your own reproductive skills and an original line, without the consent of God, or at the very least the Pope, it just need's to be left alone, as it is. What makes the tradition doubly impressive, is not one word from the ar nitwits about using a goat for forced military service. No pickets, press release's, or statements vilifying the practice. If the Queen bred elephants for the military, Ingrid and her baboons would puke in their lap. If only Walt Disney had scripted a flying goat, instead of a flying elephant, things would have been so, so very different.
Since 1844, the British Monarchy has presented an unbroken series of Kashmir goats(similar to the Christian IX of Denmark X Queen Victoria unbroken series of British Royalty) to the Royal Welch Fusiliers from the crown’s own royal herd, for use as infantry soldiers in the British Army.
William Windsor
William Windsor (known as Billy), a goat in the military, was a lance corporal in the 1st Battalion, the Royal Welsh, an infantry battalion of the British Army. He served as a lance corporal from 2001 until 2009, except for a three month period in 2006 when he was demoted to fusilier,(I wonder if a good get's any brig time also) after unacceptable behavior during the Queens’ birthday celebrations at Whipsnade Zoo while deployed on active service with the battalion on Cyprus. He retired in May 2009. Billy had a full-time handler during his military service, Lance-Corporal Ryan Arthur, known as the Goat Major, who ensured Billy’s welfare at all times.(if Billy had been an elephant, Lance-Corporal Arthur would have been known as a groom or shit shoveler.)
The tradition of having goats in the military originated in 1775 when a wild goat walked onto the battlefield in Boston during the American Revolutionary War and led the Welsh regimental colours at the end of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Billy, a Kashmir goat from the royal herd at Whipsnade Zoo, was presented to the regiment by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001. He is said to be friendly and likes meeting people.
The royal goat herd was originally obtained from Mohammad Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia from 1834–1848, when he presented them to Queen Victoria as a gift in 1837 upon her accession to the throne. Billy is thus descended from the same royal bloodline as the original herd.
Military careerBilly’s Army number 25232301 is not a mascot, but a ranking member of the regiment; since joining in 2001, he has served overseas, and has met royalty. His primary duty was to march at the head of the battalion on all ceremonial duties. He was present for every parade in which the regiment participated.
He spent two and a half years in Cyprus while the battalion was posted there, and has lived in Chester since their return.
Following eight years of distinguished service, Billy retired due to his age. On 20 May 2009, he was led into his trailer by the battalion’s Goat Major in full ceremonial dress, including a silver headdress which was a gift from the Queen in 1955. Soldiers from the battalion lined the route from his pen to the trailer as he left the camp for the last time. Billy returned to Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire where keepers say that he will have an easy life at the Children’s Farm. His replacement will be chosen from a herd on the Great Orme in Llandudno in June.Update on the incident with former Cologne Zoo employee, Mr. Peterman.
If folks recall, I eluded to a incident(type Cologne Zoo in the search bar on the left) at the Cologne Zoo, involving Curator Mr. Peterman, (photo above, the day before the incident), and Zoo Director Gunther Nogge, Chairman of EAZA 1997-2000, in which Mr. Peterman went postal and almost killed Director Nogge, and tragically had to be dispatched permanently. I just found out, that contrary to what the animal rights folks my want you to believe, it had nothing to do with PTS syndrome, getting beaten with an elephant hook, or his captive life. It appears that the catalyist for the incident was much simplier then that nonsense, and it was apparently nothing more then Mr. Peterman's inability to conform to a changing world, and not "authority issues" as I had thought initially. It seems that on the day of the incident, the Cologne Zoo had just adopted a "no smoking" policy in the employee's break room, and Mr. Peterman was just expressing his disagreement with the policy with Director Nogge.
Is this "circus," or is this something else?
An employee of a mobile zoo, in the photo above, throws meat to a lion and an Amur tiger on April 3, 2009. The meat was donated by locals in the town of Sosnovoborsk, northeast of the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Some 30 animals from a mobile zoo were left in dire conditions, going without food and care for days, after the Russian migration service deported the zoo’s Armenian owners from the country because of their expired visas, local media reported. The owners had taken their zoo, which included an Amur tiger, a lion, and a lynx, on tours around Russia and intended to spend the winter in the small Siberian town.
A young Asiatic brown bear, in the photo below, squeezes its head under the bars of its four square meter mobile enclosure in the town of Sosnovoborsk, Russia on April 3, 2009. The bear is among some 30 animals left without food and care for days, after the Russian migration service deported the zoo’s Armenian owners from the country because of their expired visas.
There are good doctor's and bad doctor's, and good lawyer's and bad lawyer's, good dog breeder's and bad dog breeder's, good zoo's and bad zoo's. There is good as well as bad, in every profession/industry in the world, and that includes exotic animal training, as well as the circus in general. Why our industry did not distinguish the different circus's as well as the people's participating in the craft of animal training, I will never know. Some zoological institutions are attempting to distance themselves from the stereotype of "zoo," by changing their name to something like Audubon Nature Institute, etc. One way or the other, when we go to Indian Joe's Reptile Garden or the Bronx, we know we are going to two very, very different things. The rodeo industry has come up with the PBR, the NFR, etc. so folks know they won't just be seeing a "rodeo", like what is at the county fair, or at the Broken Wheel Ranch on the weekend. When you think United States Team Roping Championships(USTRC) you know it isn't a few neighbors getting together for a Sunday afternoon roping jackpot. When you hear name's like Larry Mahan, Tuff Hedeman, Ty Murray, Don Gay, Roy Cooper, Fred Whitfield, Jim Sharp, Alvin Nelson, etc. etc. you know they are more then just "rodeo guy's." They are World Champions many times over, won because they were the best at what they did, not because they participated in a phony festival.
No, we crippled our industry severly by not having a "grade" system, and a distiction that people would know and see instantly. Is it too late, with what's left anymore, to seperate the wheat from the chaff?
Thomas is grandstanding, so everybody better check out his blog, "Thomas Bohners Cage Act History" linked on the right.
Hello Wade,
How are you?
Check my blog for a lot of new, never before saw pictures !
Thomas
King Ludwig II of Bavaria
I can't seem to find any information about the owl grotto pictured in the threads below. There is plenty of information about the Palace it's self, but nothing about the grotto's themselves. It is almost like they are embarrassed to mention them in any of the writing about the Palace it's self. Does anyone know anything about the owl grotto's? Why were they built? What was the purpose of keeping the owl's? For falconry, popular at the time, owl's are not of much use. The grotto's are quite an "eye sore" at an otherwise beautiful Palace.
I wonder if that whack job crazy King Ludwig II of Bavaria had anything to do with the building of the Wallenstein Palace owl grotto's, or if it was just a popular modernism/grotesque style of architecture of the day. Above is the "Venus grotto" built by wing nut King Ludwig at his Linderhof castle. Ludwig liked to be rowed around the lake in the golden swan boat, in the underground grotto he built, while listening to Wagner concertos played by his orchestra.
Owl Grotto--Wallenstein Palace
The Wallenstein Palace covers a wide area in the northern part of Mala Strana between Valdstejnske namesti, Valdstejnska and Letenska streets and Klarov. Its construction was commissioned by one of the most powerful and wealthiest Czech noblemen from the post-White Mountain era, Colonel and, from 1625, General Albrecht Vaclav Eusebius of Wallenstein (1583-1634). The palace was to be his Prague residence which, in its size and splendour, would cast a shadow over all the other buildings of its kind and even compete with Prague Castle itself. It was designed by Italian architect Andrea Spezza.
The main wing of the palace emerged with the reconstruction of what was originally a mediaeval house known as Trčkovský dům which Wallenstein bought in 1621. The architecture of the façade combines the late Italian Renaissance and the northern styles: portals and Netherlandish dormer-windows are set into the horizontal façade with its rows of window aedicules. The interiors of the palace are Italian in character. The ceremonial Knights’ hall is decorated with a fresco of the Apotheosis by Italian artist Baccio del Bianca.
The palace chapel, rising up through both floors of the building, is decorated with scenes from the legend of St Wenceslas. The chapel altar, the work of cabinet-maker and woodcarver Arnost Jan Heidelberger from 1630, is the oldest Baroque monument of its kind in Prague. Baccio del Bianca also created frescos and stucco work for other palace interiors, such as Wallenstein’s study, the communicating gallery with its scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and the Astronomical-Astrological Corridor featuring allegories of the seven planets, four continents and symbols of the zodiac.
The palace interiors reflect the master-builder’s exacting requirements. Tapestries, carpets and furniture were ordered from Italy and the Netherlands. The palace was plundered twice during periods of war (in 1648 by the Swedes and 1742 by the French) and, of the original, enormous wealth, only a few old paintings and personal effects remained. The building also has an Italian garden with a sala terrena, a grotto with artificial stalactites, an aviary and an artificial lake with an island. The collection of bronze statues was created for the garden by Netherlandish sculptor Adrien de Vries (c. 1545-1626)Albrecht of Wallenstein lived in the palace for barely twelve months, between 1630, when its decoration had been completed, to his death in 1634. The house remained in the ownership of the Wallenstein family until 1945. After the Second World War, the palace became Czechoslovak state property and was renovated to house government offices.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Columbia Gardens--Butte, Montana
Apparently it wasn't all about looking at the wildlife, when you went to Columbia Gardens. I tell you what, the folks up in my neck of the woods sure know how to make for a diversified day out.
Columbia Gardens--Butte, Montana
The Zoo is one of the attractions which the visitors find a source of a great deal of pleasure, for here are seen a variety of animals and birds which belong to Montana's fastnesses and plains. These animals and feathered treasures are becoming reconciled to their bondage, and it is doubtful if any of the number would really care to leave were the opportunity offered." (pg 30)
Two of the finest specimens of wild cats that any trapper or hunter ever coveted are in captivity and they, too, like their homes among their admired neighbors. Bobcats above.
The porcupines, badgers, ferrets and some other new arrivals all take kindly to their new surroundings. Porcupines above.
There you have it, from the official Columbia Gardens Guide Book. Except for this memorable quote under the picture of the raccoons which I am sure Vincent and Joey will appreciate:
Rastus, Eliza and Sambo comprise the raccoon family, and they are the admired of all admirers, especially those admirers who have lived in the land where the 'coon' is hunted with gun and dog.
Spirit Bears
Spirit bears are rare black bears with white or creamy fur, brown eyes, dark nose pads, and nearly white claws. They are not polar bears or albinos. Maybe 100 exist.
Most Spirit Bears live on Princess Royal and Gribbell Islands along the rainforest coast of British Columbia. They are considered a subspecies of black bears called Kermode bears (Ursus americanus kermodeii). About 20 percent of the bears on those islands are white; the rest are black. On the mainland, the percentage of white bears drops off drastically with distance from those islands.
Dr. Kermit Rutland and Craig Newton studied the genetics of white black bears. The white fur of Kermode bears is the result of a double recessive gene unique to this subspecies. A single nucleotide replacement in the melanocortin-1 (Mc-1r) receptor portion of that gene causes it to produce adenine rather than guanine. When both parents contribute this recessive gene, the result is white fur.
Outside British Columbia only about one in a million black bears is white. One of these white bears, a subadult male, lived near Orr, Minnesota, in 1997. Hair samples showed him to be genetically different from white Kermode bears. Named Halo, he caused such a media stir that the Minnesota legislature gave protection to all white bears in the state, but Halo remains the only white bear ever reported in Minnesota.
However, the next sighting of a white black bear was only 200 miles northwest of Orr. In 2000, a black mother with two white cubs turned up near Beausejour, Manitoba. The genetics of this family were not studied.
In 2004, a black mother with a white cub was discovered about 300 miles northwest of Beausejour near Cedar Lake, Manitoba. Named Maskwa, this white cub carried a new mutation on the same gene that determines coat color in Kermode bears.
Amazing "trick photography."
We were discussing the other day, how a photo could be doctored to appear different then it actually is/was, and this is a brilliant example. If you have an old ugly, straight nosed, shit stained, mane rubbed off because of sweet itch, rafter hipped horse, that you want to promote as a world class herd sire, this is a brilliant way to photograph him to hide any flaws that he may have. This method can even make Francis the talking mule look like Pegasus.
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