THE LION, THE WOLF, AND THE ASS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 102, 1 May 1937, Page 27

THE LION, THE WOLF, AND THE ASS

Never before have, zoo visitors met simultaneously a lion, a wolf, and an onager, or wild ass, on the public pathways ,of the , gardens,, '. Ye^ this they can do any-day just now, if. they ; are early, .enough, writes Craven Hill in the "Evening Standard." ■ '

They are a fascinating trio. Jim, the lion, is. only.'five months old, but is already an,; old hand at the game.' He knows fuU well-which places are out of .bounds to. him,, and which are not.;

.: But'Eockei the onager—also a mere baby—is-a newcomer;,and though, like Jim, he is not held on a leash, he shows-, the greatest- interest in . everything. :" -- --•::/;;;:• .- ,/.-:■..;/•? - / ' -'

Rocket: is .the :■ zoo's latest "bottle baby." -Born recently to Bashem and Flame, the' Persian wild asses at the zebra liouse he was so sadly neglected by ■his.mother - that the. authorities had. no option but to remove him to the sanatorium-., Here, Keeper Hersey has becomevhis-■ "nurse." ■, .

.■-Regularly every morning at nine, Mr. /Hersey" prepares the foal's, breakfast and gives him his bottle. Then ne takes-him for a trot. Or, rather, Rocket takes him for a trot;-for while he is out he loves nothing better -than to canter .up/and down, the central, walk, arid: as he is far'swifter than the man, it is Mr.-Hersey'who :gets most of the exercise. v. . . ■' :.'

Although so young, Rocket is a friendly..creature.,;He runs up.to every

visitor he; meets, to receive a pat and a caress. - . • ~■■..- .'.•■•

. The third animalto'be exercised isa titnber wolf who being held captive on a twenty-foot chain, is invariably/ in the, custody' of Mr.- Spens-Steuart, the "wolfman." -, ,

Unlike the lion cub and the onager, the wolf is mature, but none the less friendly for that. He is devoted to Mr. Spens-Steuart, who romps with him on the lawn as though the animal were a dog. •

The affection existing between man and wolf is plain, and amuses all who watch the two together. At intervals the "wolfman" pauses for a breather and kneels beside his zoo friend, whereupon the wolf "kisses" him enthusiastically.' • '■■:.■ ■ •'■■■■ ■■'.''■

Sometimes Mr. Spens-Steuart picks his four-footed friend up, and, carrying him pick-a-back fashion, trots up and down with the wolf on his back.

Recently the "wolf-man" was' away ill, and for some months was unable to visit the zoo. Yet on his return the other day, he received a welcome almost embarrassing in its warmth. The wolves tumbled over themselves in their efforts to be the first to greet him.

Mr. Spens-Steuart has cultivated the society of the zoo wolves for close on fifteen years. He is the only person, other than the keeper, allowed inside their enclosure. Were you or Ito go inside we should have a very different reception, for, although the animals are all zoo-bred, they are shy and reserved with strangers. ' ....