HUNT FOR WORMS
ZOO DILEMMA Melbourne, Jan 11.. Feverish digging in adjoining paddocks by members of the Melbourne Zoo staff to augment the supply of worms for the Zoo’s Platypus, is the strange spectacle which has been caused by the unprecedented shortage of worms brought about by Melbourne’s recent dry weather. Although the Director of the Australian fauna section, Mr David Fleay, has raised the price of worms to Is for a two pound syrup tin full, the supply has been so meagre that the future of the platypus as an attractive exhibit is causing grave concern. The quiint creature's daily diet of 600 worms, a dozen yabbies, two dozen tadpoles, and one hard boiled egg sets Mr Fleay a problem that he is urgently appealing to small boys and unemployed youths to help him solve.
The platypus has been thriving in captivity for 17 months, mainly because earth worms have been plentiful, ■ but his continued sojourn in the Zoo will depend on the industry of Melbourne’s worm gatherers.
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Bibliographic details
Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11933, 27 January 1936, Page 3
Word Count
169HUNT FOR WORMS Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11933, 27 January 1936, Page 3
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