ANIMALS FOR ZOO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22403, 27 April 1936, Page 13

ANIMALS FOR ZOO

ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND BEAR ONCE NAVAL MASCOT MONKEYS' ESCAPE ON VOYAGE In excellent condition, in spite of their long journey in cramped quarters, a consignment of 12 animals for the Auckland Zoo arrived by the Golden Bear on Saturday evening from San Diego, where they were purchased. The Golden Bear also carries five head of pedigree cattle, one for Wellington and the remainder for Australia. Although a cadet was in charge of the animals throughout the voyage, they have been the object of much attention by the whole ship's company, not excepting the master, Captain E. M. Olsen, whose first action 011 leaving the bridge after the arrival of the ship was to give the cattle their Sunday ration of alfalfa. Iced Water Provided The animals for the zoo consist of a black bear, two cougars, a coyote, a raccoon, four spider monkeys and three seals. Another raccoon intended for the consignment escaped before being put on board the ship. Coming through the hottest part of the tropics the animals were kept cool with iced water, and only 0110, a seal, showed any sign of sickness. The seals were provided with a permanent shower bath and had a special meat and fish diet. Feeding was a matter of following a carefully planned routine in which each day's food for each animal was separately packed. Bear as Ship's Mascot The bear, which is well grown, was formerly the ship's mascot of the United States battleship California. While in that position, he exceeded even the privileges of a mascot and bit a petty officer, and so was banished to San Diego zoo. Naturally, in his confined quarters he is unable to go through his repertoire, but he can ask for a drink by chattering his teeth, and drink with a funnel, a necessary arrangement owing to the fact that there is 110 drinking vessel in his pen. His craving for delicacies has been fully gratified on the voyage, and he has charmed the crew out of many of their little luxuries. He even refused to drink anything bufc iced water in the tropics. Contrast in Temperament The cougars or mountain lions, one of each sex, are a contrast in temperament, and while the male snarled in the gloom at the back of his cage, his consort rubbed her nose against the bars and purred in true feline fashion. Actually, as the ship tied up, the whole party was in conversational mood, probably scenting the land after their long trip among unfamiliar smells. The raccoon and the spider monkeys were housed in cages in the forecastle head. Some trouble was caused by two of the monkeys getting out and making the most of their liberty in a perfect paradise of paint pots and coils of rope. After three hours' chase they were eventually captured, but not before they had given their custodian several painful bites.