NO LIONS WANTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

NO LIONS WANTED.

WILD ANIMALS AND THE WAR. Liovs, tigers, elephants, and other wild animals now at large in tropical forests have reason to bless the present war! There are no sportsmen to shoot or caplure them and shipping companies will not be troubled to bring them to Europe. On the Other hand, the inmates of zoological gardens in Enjrlanrl and on the Continent would not be pleased if they could hear what London animal dealers say—namely, that their value lias since war began gone down no lea<> than 80 per cent. This means that c Hon worth £50 before the war eould be bought to-dav for a paltry £10! Mr- John D. Hamlyn, the weli known animal dealer, stated that the trade in wild animal* was almost completely at a standstill. During the past " few months, he said, he had had dozen* of letters from the Continent offering him lions and other animals. It was impossible for him to buy them, as there was nobody to whom he could sell them. Mr. R. T. Pocock. superintendent of the London Zoological Gardens, said ho was,very curious to know what was happening to the.- inmates of tin numerous zoological gardens in Germany. '.'Almost every town in that country has its own 1 zoo,', he-said: ; "As : time goes on I am .afraid • that . many of ; the animals in-Germany, will navo.to; be <sacrificed, as every bit of fodder will ;be wanted . for the. horses."-' '~ - , '{ , A ■