IF QUAKE CAME

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 149, 21 March 1934, Page 8

IF QUAKE CAME

Animals Unlikely to be Freed From Zoo CURATOR’S COMMENT Fears that in the event, of a big earthquake in Wellington wild animals at the Newtown Zoo might, be set free to roam at large, thus adding to the terrors of tlie situation, have been expressed by correspondents to “The Dominion.” Their apprehensions were mentioned yesterday to tlie curator of the zoo, Mr. J. Langridge, who ridiculed the idea as being absurd. There was not tlie slightest reason for alarm, lie said. “If a quake big enougli to free tlie lions, tiger and the puma were to come upon’ Wellington there would be nobody left to worry what the animals did.” remarked Mr. Langridge, who conducted a “Dominion" representative on a tour of inspection of tlie cages and compounds. He expressed tlie view that, no disaster short of the complete annihilation of the city and suburbs could possibly do enough damage at tlie zoo to permit the escape of the exhibits. The curator explained that if an earthquake catastrophe occurred at night there will be still less likelihood of the release of the animals. At nightfall they were all driven into inner cages of reinforced concrete and locked there until the morning. A ferro-concrete den was the most earth-quake-proof cage that could be imagined. In any event, if an animal did get out there were five keepers with guns to deal with it. Asked whether the earthquake shocks in recent years had created alarm among the zoo inhabitants, Mr. Langridge said that even on the occasion of the Murchison shake, which was severely felt in AVellington, the animals had displayed no emotion at all.

Mr. Langridge pointed out that in major earthquake disasters, such as the San Francisco and Tokio visitations, there had been no added peril from escaping zoo animals, for, as far as he was aware, there was no record of dangerous creatures having broken from captivity on those occasions. ■'“There Is no need for the public to lie afraid, as every precaution has been taken and continues to be taken to prevent the escape of the animals at any time,” said the curator.

When reminded of the scare caused by the escape of a leopard from the Auckland Zoo a few years ago. Mr. Langridge observed laconically that if the door of a leopard’s cage was left open what else equid be expected?