CHAPTER XXI
ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, LEIPZIG: DIRECTOR, DR. ERNST PINKERT
The Zoological Garden in Leipzig has gradually worked itself up from very small beginnings to its present greatness and extent. It was, indeed, the present Director, Herr Ernst Pinkert, who, so to speak, laid the foundation-stone in 1876 with a little house for crocodiles. Through his energy and business activity, he succeeded in a relatively short time in bringing the Garden up to its present high standard, and in creating an institution for which the Leipzig people are much indebted to him.
In 1899 Herr Pinkert’s incessant energy and organization were rewarded by the Garden being purchased by a company of shareholders, who appointed him Director.
The Company of the Zoological Garden ended its first business year at the end of 1899. Allowing for the unavoidable disturbances caused by storms in the summer and by new buildings being erected, the first year was financially a success. The report for 1899 showed a clear profit of £403. Whilst the Ashanti Exhibition was being held on June 4 the Garden was visited by 19,718 persons, constituting a record day. During the year 196,388 people entered the Garden, exclusive of family season-ticket holders, who numbered 688 of the shareholders.
Picture-postcards, programmes, and guide-books brought in £85. The stock of animals at the end of 1899 included 14 monkeys, 110 carnivorous animals, 135 rodents, 1 elephant, 96 cloven-footed animals, 3 hoofed animals, 8 kangaroos, and 1 duck-billed platypus.
Sixty animals were presented to the Garden, and the following were born in it: 8 lions, 1 jaguar, 2 leopards, 10 hyænas, 1 white Angora cat, 5 Gordon setters, 12 fox-terriers, 3 silver rabbits, 15 common rabbits, 15 Angora guinea-pigs, 25 common guinea-pigs, 2 bisons, 1 beisa antelope, 1 zebu, 2 dwarf zebus, 1 yak, 1 wapiti, 1 axis deer, 1 Japanese deer, 1 guanaco, 1 llama, 7 sheep, 2 kangaroos, 5 peacocks.
The losses by death were, however, considerable, 9·2 per cent. of the stock being lost during the year.
Of the more valuable animals were lost: 2 young male lions, 1 female puma, 1 brown bear, 1 chimpanzee, 1 male mandril, 1 llama, 1 male elk, 1 pair of axis deer, 1 wapiti cow, 1 young male bison.
Miss Claire Heliot, with her nine lions and two dogs, proved a great attraction between July 22 and September 3. The number of members on the committee was raised from nine to ten. A large main building was proposed, which should contain a restaurant, a concert-hall, etc. A fodder-house, a Director’s house, and several animal houses were built. Herr Rust, the architect, was entrusted with the carrying out of these important works. The fodder building, thanks to a mild winter, was ready for use by the beginning of May, and proved most useful. The other buildings made satisfactory progress. On May 10 the foundations of the large main building were laid. The Director’s house was nearly finished. The concert-garden was planted with stately trees. No less than £25,000 were spent upon these improvements.
In 1900 the clear profit was £600; 244,914 people entered, besides 831 season-ticket holders. Miss Heliot, the celebrated lion-tamer, on August 5 attracted the record number, 17,197 people paying to see her show.
The following animals died in the Garden: 1 full-grown lioness, 2 servals, 1 ocelot, 1 racoon, 1 guanaco, 4 llamas, 1 elephant, 1 beisa antelope, 1 elk, 2 axis deer.
On the other hand, 7 lions, 5 hyænas, 6 mastiffs, 3 St. Bernards, 5 fox-terriers, 2 zebus, 1 gnu, 1 sambur deer, 2 Sardinian moufflon, 1 sika deer, 26 Angora guinea-pigs, 55 common guinea-pigs, and 7 common rabbits were born; 57 animals and birds were presented to the Garden, besides valuable pictures, a quantity of trees, shrubs, and flowers, palms, armour, a beautiful clock, and other gifts.
On May 2 the Directors house was inhabited. On June 3 the newly-planned concert-garden, with its splendid building for the orchestra, was finished. The restaurant was opened on June 2.
On September 29 the main building, containing the garden-saloon, terrace, and concert-hall, was formally opened. A banquet was given in the evening, at which the highest dignitaries of the city presided.
In the same year, also, the new monkey house was almost completed.
In 1901 the net profit of the Company was £3,796. In the Garden were the following animals: 430 mammals of 97 species—52 monkeys, 96 carnivorous animals, 141 rodents, 1 elephant, 5 hoofed animals, 125 cloven-hoofed animals, 8 marsupials, 1 duck-billed platypus.
In 1901 died: 1 female orang-outang, 1 chimpanzee, 1 male adult lion, 1 female lion, a number of young lions, 1 jaguar (small female), 1 serval, 3 hyænas, 1 pair of wolves, 1 sable antelope, 1 beaver, 2 axis deer, 6 kangaroos, 3 ostriches, 1 emu, 1 black-necked swan, 2 flamingoes, 2 storks.
The following were born in the Garden: no less than 16 lions, 2 jaguars, 8 hyænas, 13 fox-terriers, a number of other dogs, 3 Sardinian moufflons, 1 yak, 12 wild swine, 4 goats, 2 zebus, 1 Japanese deer, 1 sambur deer, 3 wapiti, 3 kangaroos, 25 Angora guinea-pigs, 37 common guinea-pigs, 9 common rabbits, 35 Turkish ducks, 2 golden pheasants.
Twenty-six animals and birds were presented to the Garden. Nearly all the buildings were completed; the opening of the new lion house, however, was delayed. The projected new elephant house was also put off for a while.
During the year there was an exhibition of living pictures, and a troupe of natives of Samoa performed in the Garden.
The Garden is open from early morning till late at night. Entrance 60 pfennig, children 30 pfennig. On the first Sundays of the months of May, June, July, August, and September for grown-up people the charge is 30 pfennig, and for children 15 pfennig. After 7 p.m. the price of entrance is less. On fête-days the committee reserve the right of raising the prices.
Season-tickets for families of 3 people are 20 marks; for more than 3 people, 25 marks; for one person, 10 marks; for students, schools, etc., 5 marks.
Shareholders have free entrance on showing their cards, which are not transferable. On fête-days the Director can order extra payment to be made by the shareholders. No dogs are admitted, and no teasing of the animals is allowed. No walking on grass or flower-beds, and no picking of flowers is permitted. No animals may be fed with grass or foliage, nor with cooked or raw meat. No one may get over the barrier, the penalty being eviction from the Garden; and the offender is also answerable for all damage done either to himself or to the animals.
After passing the turnstile, one is confronted with a large artificial rockwork grotto and waterfall. Passing through a second fine grotto, we see pheasant pens, and next to them some bear dens, the latter with hand-painted backgrounds. The lion house is brand-new, and well built and appointed. It contains a valuable collection of big cats, including several lions (one with a magnificent mane), two baby lions, and two baby servals a few weeks old.
It being Whit Sunday when I saw the Garden, the crowd was so great that one could scarcely get through the house. At the end of it was a well-executed stained-glass window, depicting two lions among rocks looking over a large open plain.
There are some large duck-ponds and a house for wading-birds. The antelope house contains nylgai, Oryx beisa, Oryx leucoryx, white-tailed gnus, several zebras, and a tiny black bear cub.
In another house was the finest collection of striped hyænas I have as yet seen together. There was a new and well-built monkey house, but the crowd was so dense that it was impossible, in the short time at my disposal, to see the whole of the contents of it. I noticed, however, some fine baboons. Crossing a bridge, you come to deer and buffalo pens together, with cages containing smaller animals. The Garden walks had just been re-covered with fresh gravel, and the deluge of rain soon converted these walks into two inches of mud, through which the crowds of men, women, and children were obliged to wade. It was almost impossible to take photographs, owing to the rain and the huge crowds of children, who would insist on collecting before the lens directly one took out one’s camera.