NEW ANIMALS FOR AUCKLAND ZOO

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25969, 24 November 1949, Page 3

NEW ANIMALS FOR AUCKLAND ZOO

CONSIGNMENT FROM SINGAPORE

BEARS, MONKEYS, AND LARGE LIZARD “The Press” Special Service

. AUCKLAND, November 23. A fairly large consignment of new exhibits lor the Auckland Zoo arrived from Singapore on the Wairata. The new arrivals were taken to the zoo in the afternoon, and had made themselves completely at home by evening, i > w j Y ery y° un 6 Malayan sun bears looked forlorn in the large cage prepared for them, and were transferred to a smaller cage, which had been reserved for Gibbon monkeys. They are only the size of a half-grown bull terrier, with heads that seem far too big for their bodies and great wondering eyes. Eagerness to take up their abode on “monkey hill” was shown by 12 Java monkeys which arrived in crates. As soon, as an opening was made they shot out and made a bee line for the hill, leap-frogging across the open space of the pit. They established themselves in their new home within a matter of minutes.

Monkey Adopts Curator The four gibbons were small and were assigned to one of the two cages that had been prepared for them. Three were very active and lost no time m exploring their quarters, but the fourth was suffering from a heavy cold in the head. On leaving her crate she went straight to the curator of the zoo (Mr R. W. Roach) for sympathy. She did not go into the cage, but accompanied him round the zoo during the afternoon. She spent Tuesday bight in the captain’s cabin in the WaiTata, and will spend the next few days in ./Mr Roach’s office. Sitting on his desk this afternon she idly chewed the end of a pen while she watched the curator at work.

A type of monkey from Madagascar, two lemurs in the group, are regarded as a useful acquisition to the zoo. A large lizard about four feet long completed the consignment. The water dragon was moved out of its enclosure and the new arrival was placed there with a terrapin. Apart from the gibbon with a cold the new exhibits arrived in good condition, said Mr Roach. All were very young should have a long and useful life in the zoo.