NEW ARRIVALS FOR AUCKLAND ZOO

Southland Times, Issue 23692, 15 December 1938, Page 4

NEW ARRIVALS FOR AUCKLAND ZOO

ANIMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES FROM SAN DIEGO (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, December 14. One of the biggest consignments of additions to the Auckland zoo received for a considerable time was received from the San Diego zoological gardens today by the Union Company’s motor-ship Limerick. Comprising animals, birds and reptiles, the shipment covered a large proportion of one of the ship’s decks, the cases being protected against the weather during the voyage by an awning. The only incidents on the journey across the Pacific, apart from the deaths of two pintail ducks and a snow goose, were caused by the behaviour of one of a pair of young mouflon sheep early in the voyage. The sheep butted down an end of its crate, and bounded along the ship’s decks. Braving its formidable horns, the crew managed by weight of numbers to bring the animal down. It was then allowed to spend the remainder of the trip on a small amount of deck space at the end of a tether, and, in the passage of time, it became comparatively friendly before it was crated again. Today a visitor who approached too close received a butt as a warning to keep his distance. In addition to the sheep, the consignment comprised two white fronted geese, one big snow goose, a pair of horned owls, a pair of monkey-faced owls, two pintail 'ducks, a male kinkajou, three pairs of spider monkeys, a pair of alligators, and a box of six painted terrapins.