Sunday, April 1, 2012

Vintage Bronx Zoo Elephant House



1914 When an elephant actually had "intent" before they were political correctly transformed into "accidents" in an effort to humanize them.

William Temple Hornaday

Remember when "friends of animals" were the zoological professional's, even with their hide's, heads, and horns for study purposes and not some nit wit from the private sector living in Private Idaho, who thinks they know better then those who devoted their lives to animals?



Director Hornaday of the N.Y. Zoological Park and Frank Rush, cowboy from Okla, crating buffalo herd to be shipped from New York to Nat'l Game Preserve in Okla.

'Did they actually transport the buffalo by wagon from New York to Oklahoma?" Amazing!!!!! King of Aquaria mention's going back in time. I would give anything to spend just one day with William Hornaday. Can you even begin to imagine the jackpot's he could share?'

An 1889 survey conducted by William Hornaday, the first director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (then the New York Zoological Society), found that only 1,091 bison, wild and captive, remained in North America. At that point with the great herds gone, a few isolated individuals took actions to preserve the scattered remains of the species. Some ranchers in Montana and Texas, wealthy New Yorkers, preservation from poachers of a few isolated wild bison in Yellowstone National Park, New York City zoos, and some dedicated federal employees all had a hand in the saving of the survivors.

From this new beginning, bison have increased in numbers to over 350,000 today. Most of these animals are being raised commercially on private ranches. Some 90% include cattle genes from cross breeding at some time in the past. Although even these hybrids appear like purebred bison. Less than 20,000 are pure bison and many of these are the product of a very narrow gene pool associated with the late 19th Century population bottleneck.

'Why wouldn't it work for rhino's, elephant's or any other animal for that matter, excluding cross breeding, to "financially" preserve them for posterity?'

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

1941

In my opinion, some of the most realistic "rock work" in the zoo world, reproducing huge geological formations found in Graniteville, Missouri.

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

1935

1940

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

1960's



1960's

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

Where was "Peacock Valley" located at in the zoo?

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

The Reptile House was built in 1937 for 190,000.00. St. Louis seemed to take pride in pointing out how much their buildings cost. Some of the most beautiful and unique in buildings in the zoo world.

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

1923

Vintage St. Louis Zoo

Vintage St. Louis Zoo



Vintage St. Louis Zoo

There's my "albatross," the elusive beret........





Vintage St. Louis Zoo



1942



1941

Unknown

This stereo view card purports to be an aviary at the zoological gardens, St. Louis. Does anyone know if it was as Fairmount Park or Forest Park Zoo? I can find no other information or a picture of this particular building at either of the facilities.

Vintage Fairmount Park--St. Louis, Mo.


1910

Vintage Carnivora Fairmount Park--St. Louis, Mo.

1910

Vintage Fairmount Park Bear Pit Revisited--St. Louis, Mo.

1877

1910

The Circus "NO SPIN ZONE": Bear Pits--Fairmount Park, which later ...

The Circus "NO SPIN ZONE": 01/26/11