AN UNUSUAL DUEL

Evening Star, Issue 14463, 14 January 1911, Page 10

AN UNUSUAL DUEL

LION v. BEAR, There were exciting scenes on the evening of Sunday, November 2, in Rostock's Jungle, which is wintering in Sheflield. Monclik, one of tho iinest lions owned by Mr Frank Rostock, met a. grizzly bear in a narrow passage-way, and there was a fearful fight to a finish. Tho lion was the victor ; he mauled poor Bruin so badly that the merciful trainers; put the animal out of its misery. The primary cause of tho trouble was tho arrival from America of two young African lions which were captured by Kormit Roosevelt, son of the American ex-President, during their African hunting tour. They have been presented to Mr Bostock for exhibition in New Y'ork. but as tho New Yorkshow is now in Sheflield with tho Continental sections of the Jungle tho

animals were sent over by Mr Rostock's New York representative. To make room for them it was necessaiy to move some bears from one ca.ge to another. This work was in progress, and Aleiiolik was being exoreised in the big arena by the German trainer Falkendorf, who during the previous week had put some Bengal man-eating tigers through a sensational turn. - -Dangerous Work.—It is part of the arrangements at, the Jungle to give each animal plenty of exercise. At the back of each cage is a door communicating into a narrow passage-wav running rkrht round the building, and along this fix- animals arc driven by their trainers into the big areuie eag". This is the dangerous part of the trainers' work, but whatever happens in the pnssago-\va.\ makes no difference) whatever to Hie safety of the public. A code of whistle signals

is in use, and before animals either enter or leave the arenie cage signals are exchanged. On Sunday evening Falkendorf blew the. signal to inquire if the passage-way was clear, and ho says that he got tlio answering response that it was. Me then commenced to drive Mcnelik back to his cage. Hut there had been some mistake in the signals, for keepers were moving a line grizzly bear, " President," along the passage which Menelik was to traverse. The lion and tho hear met in a sharp corner. The lion gripped the boar by the throat, and the two animals) locked ' together, fought fiercely. Falkendorf bred blank cartridges, and immediately a number of trainers rushed to his assistance., but the task of separating bear and lion was a very difficult one. —Bear's Fearful Injuries.— The passage-way is so narrow that only two men could get near the animals. Menelik, frightened by the

crack of firearms, released his hold of (he boar, which thou sei/.ed Menolik's Foot viciously. The :uiinials closed and the bear v, as breri thing :«iniosk Ins lust, <;asp wlit'ii a further of bhnk cartridges drove Alonclik into his eae-o. 'J'he lion's jaws had nearly severed the hoar's head from its body, and there were fearful marks where its huge claws had gripped the body of the bear. Aiomdik (who, by the way, is so named because he was presented to 11 r Hostock by Kinj; Alonelik of Abyssinia) seems to be, very little the worse for the encounter, ile ]imps as. a result of the bear's cJyinfi grip. A grizzly bear is worth anyfliiii'-; between £BO and £'loo, and the. value of 'President was enhanced by the fact that he bad passed through a lons training period and was (o In; add.-'d to the IViluski Combination Group of lions, wolves, and bears.