London Zoo in 1900

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Arthur H. Beavan discusses London Zoo in Imperial London, published in 1901:

If, in the 1901 census, the children of London had been asked to record their favourite pleasure resort, they would probably have unanimously selected the Zoo, a choice that would have been endorsed by a great number of their elders.

It never failed to win popularity, and on Easter Monday, 1901, out of the five chief places of public resort - the Crystal Palace, the Tower of London, the Natural History Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum - it alone showed an increase in the number of visitors.

From its situation on the northern border of Regent's Park, the Zoo was somewhat difficult of access from the greater part of London, involving long railway, or tiresome bus journeys.

But despite this, almost everybody contrived to visit the place at least once a year, and many children could hardly remember the time when they were not familiar with the elephants, and with the monkey-house, the latter being especially attractive to children.

In any other country, such a magnificent collection of living creatures would be officially maintained; but our Zoo was "run" most successfully and efficiently by a private society, founded in 1826 "for the general advance of zoological science," its offices being in Hanover Square.

The grounds, about forty acres in extent, had become too restricted for any up-to-date development of the Society's objects, and it had been said that to give the desirable space for all the animals, at least a quarter of the adjoining park would need to be incorporated with the Gardens.

The average number of animals in the collection was 3000, of which about one-half were birds, and a census was regularly taken at Christmas, but the number was always varying through fresh arrivals and deaths.

Housekeeping on a liberal scale was necessary to keep this big family in health and comfort.

For the carnivora alone, a horse was killed every morning, representing about 142 tons of cut-up meat a year, and for the more fastidious of the flesh-eaters, four goats a week were required.

For the hawks and other smaller animals, the heads and waste parts of no fewer than 9500 chickens were used per annum.

The greengrocer's bill was a prodigious one.

Under the heading of "greens," the tortoises and deer put away annually close upon 8000 bunches; of carrots, the smaller rodents use up 1250 bundles, and 113 cwt. in sacks; of watercress, 2000 parcels; 7000 lettuces, and a few wagon-loads of vegetable-marrows and melons.

Fish was a very heavy item, no less than 41,400 lbs. being required; while of milk some 7000 quarts were used per annum; and of eggs, about 500 a week.

So large a number of living creatures required many attendants; the staff, all told, numbering over 100 men.

Many of the animals were very costly; for instance, the Society paid £1000 for one giraffe; but the income from all sources was good, £700 per annum being brought into the exchequer simply by the fees paid for riding on the elephants.

An interesting feature of the Zoo was the nursing of the "invalids, - and the performing of "operations."

Luckily there were few cases of illness among the animals, their health being really excellent, but the remedies for ailments were rather drastic.

Some years previously, a rhinoceros had appeared very poorly, and a few gallons of soap-suds had to be given him, but as this seemed to depress him, his spirits were revived by a bottle of whisky in plenty of water.

Surgery had seldom to be resorted to.

Occasionally a tooth had to be extracted, which operation, in the case of so bulky a creature as the hippopotamus, was a tough job.

Periodically, the lions' and tigers' claws had to be cut.

This was done by lassooing the animal, pulling it towards the bars, where each foot was securely strapped, and then by means of specially-made pincers the necessary clipping took place.

The animals fought desperately and roared with all their force, but the cutting had to be done, because in captivity the claws grew too long and entered the flesh.

Additions by purchase or by gift were constantly being made to the Zoo.

The gifts were from all classes, from Royalty downwards; one notable present being in April 1900, when the King presented the Society with some of the rare wild animals and birds sent to Queen Victoria by Royal donors and others.

Among them was the beautiful zebra (the gift of King Menelik of Abyssinia), fifteen hands high, and the only specimen of its kind in England at the time.

The other Royal presents included two Australian kangaroos, two fine South African ostriches, a couple of Spanish cattle, and an American bison.

The bison, however, came to an untimely end, for during the necessary preparations for its removal from Windsor, it suddenly fell down and expired.

The decease of well-known animals in the Zoo was always recorded with befitting gravity in the daily papers; for instance when the monster python, twenty feet long, one of the oldest inmates of the reptile-house, died, a long paragraph was devoted to the event; when the polar bear lost his mate a year or two ago, the public regret was duly voiced by the Press; and visitors to the Zoo were inconsolable when they learnt through the Daily Telegraph that their favourite "Daisy," the gifted chimpanzee, had succumbed to cold and foggy weather, despite every possible care and attention.

"Daisy" was docile and clever to a degree.

She would open a pocket-knife, cut an apple into four parts, and when requested to give the largest - or smallest - piece to one of its admirers, would do so without hesitation.

All tastes in the natural history of birds and beasts could be satisfied at the Zoo.

For lovers of birds, there were the splendid aviaries, and the wading-birds in open-air cages.

Admirers of quadrupeds found in contemplating the lion-house, the elephants', hippopotamuses', and giraffes' chalets, the bear-pits, the monkey-houses, the splendid house for the reptilia, the sheds for marsupials, and the new pavilion occupied by interesting but deafening parrots, enough for a week's enjoyment.

Entomologists could, in the curious insectarium, pursue their favourite study with the advantage of having living specimens before them; while the aquarium, or fish-house, though on a small scale, was one of the most perfect of its kind in England.

Next: Birds in 1900 London: London's Bird Life