9 o6 PARKS 



devoted to a zoo must necessarily be more or less formal, hence introducing 

 an element foreign to the general design of the park, notwithstanding the 

 modern attempts to develop zoos along naturalistic lines. Moreover, the 

 educational-recreational value of a zoo will more likely be realized to a 

 higher degree if the minds and interests of the people are not divided by 

 other interesting features, as is the case in most large parks having zoos 

 located in them. However, in the case of small collections of animals the 

 viewing and studying of which would not consume the entire time that 

 visitors have to spend in a large park at any one time, and where the arrange- 

 ment would not require any special designing of the area, the introduction 

 of the zoo feature might not be undesirable. In very large parks of several 

 hundreds of acres no great injury to the general character of the whole 

 park can be done by setting aside sufficient space even for a large collection 

 of animals. 



Whether the zoo is located in a separate unit or in an area of a large 

 park the site selected should present as varied a topography as possible, 

 should be far enough removed from the center of population and from 

 industrial and commercial activities to ensure plenty of fresh air and sun- 

 shine and yet be easily accessible to the people by good motor roads and 

 electric railway lines. 



She of the Site. 



From the table on pages 904-905 it may be seen that the sizes of areas 

 devoted to zoological gardens ranges from a very few acres to over two 

 hundred and fifty acres. The necessary size of the area will, of course, vary 

 with the types and number of specimens and with the conception of the 

 design. If the design be projected on the plan of a menagerie a great many 

 specimens can be exhibited on a comparatively small area. If the design 

 is to be naturalistic, if a number of varieties of grazing animals are kept 

 and it is desired to develop as nearly as possible the natural habitat of 

 specimens of all kinds, much more extensive space will be necessary. Areas 

 which permit of naturalistic treatment are decidedly favored by practically 

 all park and zoo officials in this country. 



It would appear, therefore, that very large zoos planned on naturalistic 

 lines should have from one hundred to two hundred and fifty acres, medium- 

 sized zoos from fifty to one hundred acres and smaller zoos from twenty to 

 fifty acres. Very small zoos may be developed on from five to twenty acres. 

 It is interesting to note, however, that the Philadelphia zoo, one of the 

 largest zoos in this country, occupies only forty acres. This manner of con- 

 centration of specimens is chiefly of advantage to the visitor who is thus 

 enabled to view the specimens without long walks. 



