Animal antics

Press, 3 December 1982, Page 1 (Supplement)

Animal antics

In 1972, Michael and Kathy Willis became the proud owners of five hectares- of second-hand Waimakariri riverbed. Few property speculators would have considered the land an investment, but for the Willis family the large ' areas of swamp, stone and noxious weeds showed great potential for a zoo. are Animals,” is written by the founder of Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Michael Willis. As a 10 year old, Michael's ambition was to have a zoo. With a wry sense of humour, the author tells of his early experiences with animals, letting loose his pet opossum in Hagley Park and trying to catch a kea and looking after numerous other animals. The book tells of the many unconventional jobs* fie and his wife, Kathy, undertook when living overseas. When W'illowbank was opened at Labour Day weekend, in 1974, it was the beginning of his dream. The usual exotica of wildcats, camels and monkeys live at Willowbank but so too, do a host of domestic animals. One of the strongest points raised by Michael is that while people clamour to see wildlife from outside their own country, a great deal of . apathy exists when it comes to saving many of our domestic animals from extinction.

Prime examples of this argument are the Arapawa goats and the Maori pig (kune kune). Many of the . Arapawa Island goats (which were eventually established to be Old English goats) were slaughtered blit through the efforts of people like Michael Willis a few were saved, allowing the breed to become re-established. Throughout the book Michael Willis brings to light several comments on human expectations of animals. His life with animals has produced many physical scars and these excerpts from the book summarise his attitude: “I have a scar across one arm and another down my scalp from him (a monkey), and both times he had done it and gone, and I never really knew what had hap-

pened until the blood started to flow. "It would seem sad that some animals to whose care you devote all your time and effort respond in such an ungrateful way, but it saddens only those who look after animals for their own psychological comfort. “Certainly it is nice and very flattering to be loved by an animal, but it is equally a privilege to be treated as one of their own species, and be able to take part in their play, arguments and social structure.” “Some of My Best friends are Animals” is a warm, funny book that will delight the entire family and is a great introduction for people who have had little previous contact with animals.

Published by Whitcoulls, the book costs $16.95.