WILD BEAST STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 306, 27 December 1922, Page 3

WILD BEAST STORIES.

FIGHT WITH POLAR BEAB& INCIDENTS DT A ZOO. The problem of successfully keeping animals, wild or domesticated, in captivity is one which requires a fair amount of consideration. This is particularly the case where ferocious 'beast* are. kept in something akin to natural surroundings, as for example at the Sydney Zoo, the London Zoo, and many other places. Some exciting incidents have ■been experienced at the Scottish. Zoological Park at EdiabuiTgh, which was founded a number of years ago on the pattern of the London establishment, difficulty evidently being found In keeping soma of the animals in their proper places. There was. a sea lion, valued at several hundred* of pounds, whlel became dissatisfied with its quarters and determined, to find a better water *ole. It was apparently an easy task for him to clamber ovter the rocks and across the low wall which separated him from the footpath. Once he irad his liberty, he scrambled along until he found what was certainly a much 'larger pooL Without looking before hie leapt, he raised himlself on to the parapet and dived some twenty feet down into the depths of a lovely cool sheet of water. But he had reckoned without his hosts, for he had scarcely touched the water when two full-grown polar bears rushed at him from tlie other end of the rocky projection near the boundary of their domain. A sanguinary battle ensued, the roars of the maddened beasts quickly bringing the attendants on the scene, A TERRIBLE BATTLE* For a while the officials were quite helpless, partly owing to the fact that the enclosure where the fight was raging was large and inaccessible, and partly because they seemed at a loss to know how to tackle the monsters. A fe-xv blank cartridges were fired from revolvers, but these had as much effect as a toy pistol -mould have had. The polar bears were using their terrible claws with telling effect, and although the sea lion 'bit them savagely the odds were distinctly against him. The pool soon became crimson-stained with the blood of the combatants,' and the white coats of the polars were smeared with gore. All three "animals were severely mauled, but the sea lion was fighting a losing game. At length the' attendants, who had now mustered in considerable force, managed to reach the exhausted animals by means of long iron bars, and the two bears were driven into their den and the iron grille dropped. The Edinburgh newspapers published a vivid description of the incident, but the authorities at the zoo endeavoured to make light of the whole affair. However, sufficient damage had been done to necessitate the "nursing" of the bears for several days, while the sportive sea lion, a favourite with the many visitors to the zoo, died from his injuries a few days later. MESSAGE BOY AND GRIZZLY. On another occasion, a happy-go-lucky message boy had the good fortune to visit the park with some parcels which he conveyed in a handcart. He was leisurely pushing the cart in front of him, quietly drinking in the beauties of the place, when his attention was suddenly attracted to something ambling down the path towards him. One good look was sufficient. The newcomer was a huge grizzly bear. Needless to say, the boy suddenly remembered an engagement at the other end of Edinburgh, and took to his heels at something over the speed limit. Fortunately Bruin's escape had been promptly noticed, and he was easily persuaded to return to his quarters before he had gone very far. WOLVES AMONG LAMBS. There were other tales about escapees, but experience soon taught the authorities how to remedy defects. In the early days of the zoo there were persistent rumours that on more than one occ*" sion a wolf managed to break loose. A<L jacent to the zoo was a large field whejgt sheep and lambs grazed, and it was sail that several of the flock were killed by wolves. Such Btories naturally caused some excitement, especially as the zoo was in a populous suburban area, but nothing really untoward ever eventuated, and now the Scottish people would not part with their zoo for anything.