ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, DRESDEN: DIRECTOR, HERR A. SCHÖFF
In 1859 a beginning was made by a society of poultry-fanciers. They
laid out a small Garden in the Ostra Avenue, which, although badly
situated, found a good deal of favour with the public, and was
successful financially. A committee of twenty gentlemen desirous of
founding a Zoological Garden met in 1860 for the purpose of taking
over the bird-fanciers’ Garden and adding to it, the intention being
to issue shares under the name of the Zoological Garden Company of
Dresden. His Majesty the King presented to the Company, through the
Finance Minister, that part of the royal Garden known as the Poets’
Walk and reservoirs. The co-founder of the Zoological Garden in Berlin
laid out the plans for the Garden, and the King and Queen and Royal
household gave it their highest approbation. Every kind of wild animal
was to be kept in as free a manner as possible. And the founders
conceived the idea of laying out, between the animal buildings and the
neighbouring houses, a park and garden for the public, so that, besides
the interesting sight of the animals, there should also be a pleasant
promenade.
A sum of £20,000 was spent on the laying out of the Garden, on the
animals, and on buildings for them. The price of one share was £10,
payable by instalments, and 2,000 shares were issued. The holder of one
share was allowed free admittance to the Garden; the holder of two or
more shares could enter with four of his family.
[Illustration: WAPITI BULL, DRESDEN.]
The most flourishing period for all Zoological Gardens--when it became
a mania to found Gardens in every town--began in the early sixties.
Then there came a reaction. In 1859, 21,462 people paid to enter the
old Garden at Dresden, paying £349; the cost of keeping it up was £236.
The site was a beautiful one. Thirty-nine animals and 184 birds
came from the old poultry-fanciers’ Garden. The city architect was
authorized to erect the buildings, which were commenced at once. In the
autumn of 1860 a massive monkey house was begun, which at the same time
could be used as a winter house for other small animals. This building
cost about £1,248. A bear pit, built of stone, for three kinds of
bears, cost £560, and some enclosures for deer and aviaries for eagles
and vultures were erected. Additions were made to the old so-called
restaurant in the shape of pavilions, a veranda, and a large hall. More
animals were added, until the value of animals bought and given was
estimated at upwards of £752.
On Ascension Day, May 9, 1861, the new Garden was opened in a
heavy snowstorm. Since that day the management can look back with
satisfaction on its history. But more than once has the Garden had to
fight for its existence. To-day its financial affairs are satisfactory,
its buildings in good repair, and its stock of animals richer than ever
before.
A small-birds’ house was built in the winter of 1883. In 1884 a
Himalayan bear had two cubs, one of which was an albino, absolutely
white with pink eyes. It was often taken for a polar bear. It was very
small when born, about the size of a large rat, and it developed very
slowly. One day it fell into the bath and received a severe shock,
trembling in every limb. Its mother, however, fished it out. The mamma
bear fed its offspring on the nicest bits it could get, but the little
one soon grew very cunning. This wonderfully rare animal was the pride
of the whole Garden.
[Illustration: OUTSIDE THE LION HOUSE, DRESDEN.]
A fish-breeding establishment also exists here. In 1884 the first eggs
were received--1,000 salmon and 1,000 trout. The old monkey house was
so damp and unhealthy that a new one had to be built in 1886. In 1890
and 1891 a large number of animals and birds was acquired, including
bull and fox terriers, hares, mice, tortoises, wolves, sheep, doves,
finches, gold-fish, etc. In 1900 there were born in the Garden: in
April, 8 cross-bred swine, 1 Angora sheep, and 1 moufflon; in May, 4
wolves, 2 Barbary sheep, 2 deer, 1 Burchell’s zebra, and 1 wild ass;
in June, 1 Indian buffalo, 1 hog deer, and 1 cross-bred ass; in July,
1 wild sheep. And in February, 1901, there were born in the Garden: 1
Indian buffalo, 1 wild sheep, and 2 moufflons (cross-bred); and in
March, a hog deer, 10 cavies, 19 mice, 1 Angora sheep, and many birds.
Here follows the usual final benediction from the guide-book:
‘May the favour of the Royal house, of the magistrates and the public
go on for ever, and may it always be an ornament of our beautiful
Dresden!’
[Illustration: A FOUR-HORNED GOAT, DRESDEN.]
This is a very large Garden, situated in a wood. On entering at the
west gate, one is confronted with jackal dens. There is a very good
lion house, which contains, besides a fine collection of the larger
cats, some Australian dingoes or wild dogs, seldom seen in collections.
Passing on, we come to what evidently was a giraffe house, but, alas!
the animals are no more. The handsomely painted antelope house contains
a very fair collection, including, amongst others, a beautiful pair of
water-buck. There were also camels, zebras, and an Indian anoa; the
latter, again, is seldom seen in captivity. The collection of wapiti
‘hog’ and other deer is really good. There was a monkey house, well
built and well filled. Close by some wolves’ dens there was one of the
few specimens of chamois I have seen in captivity. Near some American
bison sheds is a goat with four remarkably shaped horns. Close by is
a bears’ castle. The Garden, when I saw it, was simply packed with
country folk, it being the Whitsuntide holidays. The crowd in front
of the stage of the open-air theatre was so dense that it was almost
impossible to catch even a glimpse of the music-hall entertainment
which was going on all the afternoon.
Whilst I was taking photographs, a gentleman walked quickly up to me
and began a long harangue in a very angry tone of voice, accompanied
by scowls and many gestures of disapprobation. I listened attentively
until he had finished, and then asked: ‘Spraken ze English?’ Whereupon
he turned on his heel and walked off as quickly as he had come, not to
reappear again.