AT THE ZOO

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 119, 13 February 1929, Page 9

AT THE ZOO

A RECORD JANUARY NELLIKUTA VISITED BY HER CAPTOR January was one of the best months experienced at the Wellington Zoo, in spite of the broken weather. Wet holidays are always a check on public attendance, as was proved on New Year’s Day, when only £7 was taken as against £37 for New Year’s Day, 1928. Yet during the month that loss was more than made up, as the takings were £lB in advance of January last year. The elephant Nellikuta is a source of unfailing delight to the children, and as Nelli is just as fond of the children as they are of her the fine weather days always saw her trundling round with full loads of children breathless with the pleasure of such a jolly ride. It is interesting to learn that Nelli earns her board at the Zoo. Curiously enough the man who caught Nellikuta in the forests of Madras (India) recently passed through Wellington. This was Mr. Shelswell, of the Madras Forestry Department He was delighted to see how the young elephant had thriven, and how contented she seemed to be in her quarters at the Zoo. Her food consists of hay, with now and again a food of boiled rice, a few carrots, and a bucket of apples. In the winter time the rice ration was increased, and her drinking water was served with the chill off. . . ' Among the hapmest possessions ot recent acquisition are the two black bears from America. These youngsters from the foothills of the Rockies find the new and spacious bear-pit much to their liking In the warm weather they make full use of the pond, sometimes playing about in and out of the water for an hour at a stretch. . Only one sea-lion is left in the big pond at the back of the Zoo. This is a male. He had a mate, but last year there was a domestic “tiff” on the high bank at the side of the pond, and the ’male, without any trouble, tumbled his mate over the edge. and killed her. A veterinary examination proved that we died of a burst valve of the heart—actually died of a broken heart. However, the Tutanekai is bringing up two or three more sea-lions from the Auckland Islands to stock the pond. They are due to arrive towards the end of next week. Other recent additions to the collection are a pair of axis (spotted) deer from Indin. a pair of Indian black buck, and a nnir of argus pheasants. The snrineboks presented to the Zoo bv Mr. W. Hornig are still in quarantine at Svdnev. Although they were accompanied bv a veterinarian’s certificate and were allowed to land in Austvalin. the Department of Agriculture would not permit them to land here without undergoing a period of quarantine in Australia.