“PETS’ CORNER”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 295, 26 September 1935, Page 5

“PETS’ CORNER”

IN THE LONDON ZOO. AMUSING SCENES. A new wonder has been introduced into the life of young Londoners, writes the “Sydney Morning Herald’s” London correspondent. Following the example of Sydney’s Taronga Park, the London Zoo lias established a kindergarten zoo for the 1 delight of small children, it is called “kiddies’ corner.” The idea is that the young visitors are actually allowed to romp and play with the smaller and gentler inmates of the Zoo. Professor Julian Huxley performed the opening ceremony j and every day since then, the children have rolled up in hundreds to make friends with the animals—with a corresponding and highly gratifying fillip to gate-money receipts.

I have just returned from a visit to Regent’s Park, where a huge audience watched with delight the antics of a. baby lion cull being led round on a string by a girl of not more than three years oidi. Two tiny tots solemnly walked one on each side of Percy the penguin, suiting their gate to his pompous, strutting walk; while Peter the chimpanzee held a kind of levee in a corner, permitting all kinds of liberties—but held firmly by a chain, in case of trouble, by a. keeper.

There was even a. baby dingo from Australia, who rejoices in the name of Marina, and who scored an instant success. Some of the more adventurous played fearlessly with an African python, wound him round their necks and stroked his head. Brownie, the eland, permitted herself to he fed from a baby’s feeding bottle; and there was a continuous queue of young folio waiting to take a ride upon the back of Timothy, the giant tortoise, who had painted on one end of his shell the words, “This end bites.” Nigger, the yak, refused to join in the fun, andi so did the baby alligator. Irish, the Shetland pony, made up for their apparent indifference, and throughout the afternoon gave a series of rides to enchanted youngsters. Parrots and guinea pigs and Angora rabbits were ready and willing to be friendly. Every clay from now on, the Zoo will hold its fun fair for the children. The idea is really the nucleus of a special children’s Zoo, and Professor Huxley declares that the aim is to make children, quite unafraid of actual contact with the animals which, up till now, thev have seen only behind bars.

The Zoo’s new experiment is perfectly sale, for all the animals which play with the children have been used to being petted all tlieir lives. Actually it is far less dangerous for the children to play with them unrestrictedly than it is for them to feed the otheis through the bars. A special photographer’s studio is part of the Pets’ Corner where visitors may bo snapped posing with their favourite animals. Every day ho does a record business.