tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post8558129925253904802..comments2024-03-19T00:17:41.069+13:00Comments on Timespanner: Bear days at Auckland ZooTimespannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11990716041045862669noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-48410939527520328812013-03-09T16:57:06.831+13:002013-03-09T16:57:06.831+13:00Cheers, Liz.Cheers, Liz.Timespannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11990716041045862669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-78012182661998218082013-03-09T13:48:10.539+13:002013-03-09T13:48:10.539+13:00An update for you Lisa on the Brown Bear. The bear...An update for you Lisa on the Brown Bear. The bear's name was "Teddy" he was a Syrian Bear aka the "large male Russian bear" (Boyd's letter) that Auckland Zoo took as part of the deal with John J. Boyd. Teddy over his 20 years at Auckland Zoo managed to kill two mates. He died at Auckland Zoo in 1944 aged well over 20 years. He was described as the Zoo's "Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-86303522522970599742012-02-07T08:50:48.625+13:002012-02-07T08:50:48.625+13:00I recall reading somewhere in the 1930s articles w...I recall reading somewhere in the 1930s articles where someone from the Zoo at that point said that the head-swaying meant the polar bear was content!! Egad!! Okay, I realise that few at that time had seen polar bears, sane ones, in their natural environment, so I shouldn't put too much of a 21st century spin on it, but -- heck!<br /><br />Hang on, here it is: "If the Polar bear, when heTimespannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11990716041045862669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-6294865683237175262012-02-07T08:45:21.627+13:002012-02-07T08:45:21.627+13:00I remember the poor old polar bear that would walk...I remember the poor old polar bear that would walk endlessly backwards and forwards along a concrete iceberg in Auckland Zoo. Six paces to the left... six paces to the right... swing head side to side four times... then repeat the routine all over again. All day long. Poor old sod had literally gone insane! <br />Did we really understand enough about proper care of animals then (1980s)? I think Writer Of The Purple Sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-70329342790218167292012-02-05T04:09:18.720+13:002012-02-05T04:09:18.720+13:00I'm not a fan of zoos anyway, and the fascinat...I'm not a fan of zoos anyway, and the fascination with "bear pits" by zoos up to recently reinforced that opinion. As Liz said, it was meant to get them out of the "jail cell concept" ... but a pit is also where one fights and dies. Not pleasant.Timespannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11990716041045862669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-48951584942833562972012-02-05T01:11:47.255+13:002012-02-05T01:11:47.255+13:00The bear pit is sad enough. I remember seeing a be...The bear pit is sad enough. I remember seeing a bear bit here in Melbourne at the zoo. Horrible. Who thought putting bears or any animal in a concrete pit was a good idea?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4466403878576837579.post-59628112973554591022012-02-04T21:14:56.352+13:002012-02-04T21:14:56.352+13:00One thing about the history of the design of enclo...One thing about the history of the design of enclosures for the early zoos. The pit concept seemed to be a popular one for bears, lions and other carnivores. The problem was very little thought at the time was put into addressing the animal's wellbeing. Concrete and rock aren't exactly the kind of habitat American Black Bear inhabit. Great photo though! The idea behind the pits was to getLizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05100812038496671783noreply@blogger.com