INCIDENT AT THE ZOO.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 16, 15 July 1925, Page 6

INCIDENT AT THE ZOO.

A FLIGHT TO DEATH. LIQN AND SECRETARY BIRD. ; r Auckland, July 13. iA, grim tragedy was enacted in the lions’ den. at .the-Zoo yesterday afternoon, the, v'.Rrijncipal - ..participants being a lion and a beautiful secretary six several secretary birds have been kept in an

enclosure behii’d the tea kiosk, some 200 yards from the lions’-den. A peculiarity of the bird is that it must ;run some distance before it cap rise, and the unfortunate bird in question essayed yesterday for the first time* in six months. It left its enclosure and gracefully sailed* over the heads of the people to come to rest among*tthe prowling lions. One of the animals immediately , crouched and prepared to spring, and ■ the bird scenting danger ran prefatory to rising. it struck a wall; howeypr, and as it fell idle lion pounced on it/and with an angry snarl quickly dispatched 'the bird. There wap 'a snapping of teeth, a flurry of feathers, and the' lion left its; prey dead and mutilated.