Where Did Zoos Come From?
What country has the most?
Were animals tamed in the Stone Age?
Where was there ever an all-day parade of wildlife?
Whose zoo required 10,000 keepers?
Intriguing questions all. Here are some of the answers my research uncovered.
We know that the first zoos of which we have recorded evidence are those pictured on the walls of Egyptian tombs. Paintings around 2500 B.C. depict gazelles, wild goats, oryx and other antelopes as zoo animals.
History also tells us the Chinese kept wild animals in "parks of intelligence," starting about 3,000 years ago.
But I was also interested to find that even back in the Stone Age, man apparently tamed dogs, horses, goats and cattle for domestic use.
During my years on the San Diego Zoo staff, I learned that as long ago as the 10th century, Europe had zoos. In the 1960s some 400 collections existed in the world, our country claiming the most with 87, followed by Germany's 42 menageries open to the public.
The classical Greeks are said to have revolutionized the zoo concept of only belonging to the rich and powerful. By the 5th Century B.C. common people could pay to see caged birds and wild animals.
Alexander the Great had special animal collectors attached to his armies to gather specimens for the royal zoos. In those days, monkeys from Africa and Asia were common household pets in Greece.
In the 3rd Century B.C., Alexandria, sometimes called the world's greatest city, apparently had one of the finest zoos of its time. Its wild inhabitants were paraded to the huge stadium every year on the day of the Feast of Dionysus.
One such parade, during the reign of Ptolemy II, reportedly took all day to pass the reviewing stand! The parade included 24 lions, 14 leopards, 96 elephants, 16 ostriches, 16 cheetahs, a white bear, 12 camels, a giraffe, a huge python, innumerable deer, antelopes, gazelles and even rhinoceros.
Rich Romans had private zoos. But the imperial city eventually had a government zoo, mainly to provide animals for the circuses in the Coliseum. This zoo was limited to the wildest, largest and fiercest animals.
Private zoos in early Rome concentrated on birds, the more brilliantly feathered, the better.
The next notable western zoo had to wait until the first great western emperor appeared. Charlemagne had a trio of zoos, with monkeys and an elephant donated by Haroun al Raschid, the caliph of "The 100l Nights."
Even William the Conqueror, not a particularly rich or powerful king, had a small royal zoo. It turned out to be a forerunner of the deer parks that became popular among England's landed gentry.
Marco Polo claimed that Kublai Khan had the greatest zoo up to his time. It required, Marco claimed, 10,000 zoo keepers!
Emperor Frederick II had three permanent zoos in Italy. He sent some specimens from them to his friend Henry III of England. That began the English king's zoo, housed in the Tower of London.
In one way, Louis XIV of France was the father of the modern zoo. He built his Menagerie du Parc at Versailles on a unified plan, much like modern zoos, with cages and enclosures grouped together. Until then zoos had been spread over the owner's parkland, aviaries in place, bear pits in another, and lion cages far away.
Louis also landscaped his zoo, and put in plants and trees as rare and exotic as some of his animals. This may well have been the first zoological garden, as contrasted with menagerie.
A few centuries later, the San Diego Zoo was the first major U.S. zoo to build on that concept. Today the horticulture is believed to be worth more than the collection of 5,000 exotics.
However, the Philadelphia Zoological Society planned the first U.S. zoo back in 1859, but start of construction was held up when the Civil War broke out. It finally opened in 1874, having been rushed to completion in time for the Centennial Exposition of 1876.
The San Diego Zoo also got its start with an international fair, the Panama-California Exposition, in l916. The Fair included animal exhibits, and when the Exposition was over, many of the exhibitors just took off, leaving the animals.
A local physician, Dr. Harry Wegeforth, while riding his horse in the city's Balboa Park, heard a distant roar from one of the abandoned lion cages. It sparked the idea to build San Diego a zoo nearby to care for these animals, and he soon set out to raise funds and select a location.
A world-class zoological garden eventually resulted, its 5,000 animal collection attracting over 3 million visitors a year.
Zoos exist to exhibit, study, and preserve animals. Whatever other purposes a zoo serves, whatever other uses a zoo may be put to, it is basically a residence for animals. Zoos are for people, but the animal and its welfare come first (something not true in many of the sad-looking "roadside zoos" housing miserable animals).
Bill Seaton is a prize-winning author and lecturer who has served nearly 25 years as public relations director of the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld and the California State Lottery. To learn more about the San Diego resident's books, blogs and awards, visit Bill Seaton.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Mississauga, November 24, 2008 - Stone Selex Chosen as Official Canadian Distributor for Canyon Stone's Manufactured Stone Veneer
Manufactured stone veneer (also known as artificial or faux stone) is a perfect building material for fireplaces. With its low weight, durable finish, and wide range of colors and textures, manufactured stone veneer offers greater flexibility in design and construction than natural stone. While virtually indistinguishable from natural stone in appearance, manufactured stone is easier to install and costs less.
Caring For Your Natural Stone Floors
Stone floors adorn some of the most beautiful homes in Arizona Their appeal lies not only in their beauty but because the floor are easy to clean
Manufactured Stone Veneer Company Announces Tier One Price Break
Native Custom Stone of Dawsonville GA is opening new markets for its manufactured stone veneer products and is now shipping products to the Pennsylvania, Texas and California construction markets. Native Custom Stone has developed new cultured stone product lines that can provide Tier One quality manufactured stone veneer products at Tier Two prices. This means huge construction cost saving for residential and commercial contractors enabling them to move into new markets around the US.
Care & Maintenance of Marble & Natural Stone
Top 10 Potential Stone Problems
Inquiry: "outside" the two major factors leading to stone disease - stone, natural stone - building material industry
Mention Stone To give a hard, solid, reliable feel. Stone With its outstanding features are the majority of consumers, are widely used in various decorative Decoration In. But in this tough exterior, who would think of stone it will fall ill? The reason is nothing more than "outside" the two factors. The internal causes of stone disease
Stone Selex Announces Exclusive Agreement to Distribute Great Stone Veneer in Ontario and Quebec
Stone Selex Inc., one of Canada's premier distributors of manufactured stone veneer, is pleased to announce that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Great-Stone International Manufactured Stone Corp. to represent the manufacturer to Ontario and Quebec markets.
Focus on Stone Industry Trends in 2010
In recent years, China's stone industry repeatedly encounter the "bottleneck", in a second setback, we are not difficult to comprehend that some guiding the healthy development of stone industry, an effective way: First, a clear position, adjust its structure, change the development mode; 2 is a scientific management, more energysaving emission reduction, enhance environmental protection
Resolution: subway construction of decorative stone protectants - stone decoration - building materials industry
Subway Stone Construction Stone There the possibility of relatively large lesions, 80% of stone disease have emerged. Many reasons, some people believe is the protective agent does not do well, or protective treatment that does not do so. In actual fact, the construction units have made a defense, and they do very seriously, but why is it still there stone disease? One main reason for not understanding the process of protectants in stone the principle of protection, and second, the decorative stone subway has more than 10 meters above the ground, within the protective layer of stone not to support the external water pressure, has smashed the protective layer, so that water into the stone-house, resulting in the stone disease. Protectants on ...
Stone Selex to Explain Substantial Savings for Home Builders at the National Home Show
At the 2009 National Home Show in Toronto, Stone Selex will explain how home builders and renovators can achieve substantial savings and deliver more attractive and innovative designs using artificial stone veneer instead of traditional brick.
Upgrade to Earthrox Thin Stone Veneer Panel Product Line
This week Stonecleft LLC, a wholesale stone supplier based in Westchester New York, launches changes to its flagship Earthrox Thin Stone Veneer Panel system.
Causes of damage to marble floor and coping measures summary - Stone, damage, response - building materials industry
Stone The product of this nature more and more widely used by people in Building On the one hand because of its architectural features with the other, the United States because of its decorative effect. Now we are in some large hotels Hotel And other buildings can be seen Stone In one application, but also its solemn. Elegant. Magnificent decorative effects'm impressed by the United States. However, due to the natural characteristics of stone, but also determines the stone in its use will produce a variety of problems, or even result in damage, the material related with the stone itself, on the other hand with the installation and use of the environment.
Resolution: stone materials stone plate light general process - Stone, Blocks - Building Materials Industry
Stone Mining. Light board raw stone stone mining is also divided into two types of mining and blasting mining. The mining is divided into micro-blasting blasting blasting for mining and large categories. Marble Along the coast, granite (granite along the coast is quite soft) is often artificial exploitation or exploitation of micro-blasting, more hard Granite (Such as the Sichuan area) usually with a large blast of rock.
Stone Selex from Greater Toronto Area, Introducing Panel Style Thin Cut Natural Stone Veneer Siding in Ontario and Quebec
Jerry Lebiedzinski, the president of Stone Selex – a premier supplier of manufactured and natural stone veneer siding, announced the introduction of a new line of thin cut quartzite stone veneer to their product line portfolio .This new line of natural stone veneer, available in many attractive colours (Snow White, Midnight Black Rustic, Ivory or Oyster Shell) offers customers thin cut, lightweight natural stones suitable for both interior and exterior applications.
Perfect for contemporary designs, only ¾” thick, this stone line is ideal for projects where minimum thickness and weight is required for technical purposes (i.e. limited room sizes, width of hallways, radius of curve of wall).
With this new stone veneer panels, ...
Stonecleft LLC Launches Additions to Earthrox Stone Veneer Product Line
This week Stonecleft LLC launches additions to its flagship Earthrox Stone Veneer product line. The exiting new additions to the Earthrox product line consist of six elegant loose stone veneers in the Fieldstone and Ledgestone Stone styles...
Native Custom Stone Wins Red Robin Gourmet Burgers' Bid to Supply Faux Stone for New Stores
Native Custom Stone which serves the construction industry in North America with superior manufactured stone, veneer stone and synthetic stone products has been awarded an a contract by Red Robin® Gourmet Burgers, Inc. to supply Faux stone, for construction of their new stores. Red Robin will be opening approximately 18 new stores during the next year. Synthetic stone products from Native Custom Stone that are made at their facility in Dawsonville, GA will be used in the construction of the new stores. Native Custom Stone has also launched a new website that provides complete photos of Native Custom Stone products thus allowing customers to easily review their wide variety of manufactured stone products. Native Custom Stone's n ...
|
 |
|
