Love Stories of the Zoo.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue III, 20 July 1901, Page 143

Love Stories of the Zoo.

RELATED BA’ THE KEEPERS OF ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. Almost human is the bond of affection that sometimes exists between animals of the most savage natures. This is but little understood, and even less appreciated by those who visit the zoos in our different cities, or see wild animals at the circuses. It is, therefore, believed that- a recital of some of the “love stories of the zoo” will be of interest, and serve to show that even the most ferocious animals are capable of tenderness and devotion. In a certain Zoo dwelt two giraffes. Giraffes are not noted for their affection, yet these two exhibited every evidence of true devotion to each other. The male never seemed to tire of caressing the long, slender neck of his partner, and what was most unusual, would frequently leave for her the softest and choicest bits of food. On one occasion, when she was removed from the pen for a short time and quartered near by, he seemed to find consolation in some bits of cloth that had been used to bind her throat, always lying down beside them, no matter where they happened to be placed. And during this temporary separation the two would spend hours gazing longingly at each other across the space that divided them. When they were again united they made manifest their supreme happiness by frolicking about like frisky colts, blissfully unmindful of

the fact that such Itehaviour was anything but picturesque in creatures of their build. In a large cage at the Zoological Gardens were placed six Bengal tigers —two males and four females. It is not usual to place so many tigers together, but as these were intended for exhibition purposes it was done in this case, and with most tragic consequences. One of the females, a particularly graceful and beautiful tigress, immediately won the affection of the two males, and so fascinated them that they entirely ignored the other three. The handsome tigress did not respond to the attentions of both of her admirers, but showed at once a decided preference by permitting the caresses of one of them, and refusing absolutely to have anything to do with the other. The keepers expected a fight between the rival lovers as the result of this situation, and were constantly on the lookout to prevent the threatened outbreak. But the jealousy of the scorned tiger took the form of rage against the tigress herself; and, suddenly, early’ one morning, without the slightest warning, he sprang upon her in a foaming burst of passion. The fight was a terrible one. The tigress struggled desperately to save her life; but the tiger, overwrought with furious emotion, was possessed of a strength beyond her resistance, and he finally caught her by the throat with his jaws and held her in their deadly grip until she sank to the ground. And even then the enraged tiger, his ey’es gleaming with murderous hate, did not release his hold, in spite of blows upon his head with

iron bars, until the tigress he had loved was void in death. For sixteen years a ferocious hyena had lived in captivity with his mate in the Zoo. Those sixteen years were devoted chiefly to fighting, with an occasional attempt to murder his partner. Finally, however, she died a natural death, and the ferocious beast fount! himself alone in the world. Then it was. for the first time, that he realised how much a part of his life she had been. He whined ami grew restless, gazing at the keepers with longing eyes and exhibiting a gentleness of nature that he had never before shown. He no longer growled at those who approached his cage. He paid no attention to any one. When several days went by and his mate did not return he curled himself up in a corner and refused to eat; and thus he grieved for her whom he had never loved in life, until, in a short time, he died of starvation. [More of these stories next week. |