ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS 



911 



planting plans and the location of structures and enclosures. The manner 

 of approach to this important and fundamental phase of the general plan 

 has been touched on in the first paragraph of this section. 



2. Design and construction of structures and enclosures for the confine- 

 ment, care and exhibiting of specimens. At this stage of development of the 

 general plan no single step should be taken by a landscape architect, park 

 official and building architect without the constant advice of an experi- 

 enced zoo director who is thoroughly familiar with the life needs of the 

 various types of specimens to be kept and exhibited and who knows how 

 to combine healthful living conditions for the specimens with good exhibit 

 arrangements. The mistakes made by park officials in attempting to start 

 and maintain a collection of wild animals in poorly designed and unhygienic 

 buildings, cages and enclosures, are legion. Such attempts always result 

 in a high mortality among the specimens, waste of funds and much criticism 

 from the public. Under no con- 

 ditions should a park depart- 

 ment undertake the develop- 

 ment of a zoo until there are 

 ample funds in hand to ensure 

 the construction of equipment 

 designed in every particular to 

 provide the best possible sani- 

 tary living quarters for the spec- 

 imens. Of equal importance, 

 also, is the absolute necessity 

 of having sufficient financial re- 

 sources for properly caring for 

 the specimens after they have 

 been adequately housed. 



Although it is desirable to 

 have the general plan formulat- 

 ed, it is wiser in most instances 

 for park departments to proceed 

 slowly with the development 

 of a zoo in so far as structures 

 are concerned. A beginning 

 might be made with structures 

 for specimens native to the 

 region or that come from coun- 

 tries presenting somewhat sim- 

 ilar climatic conditions to the 



v 



PLATE No. 361. THE OLD BEAR PITS, 



PHILADELPHIA ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, 



FAIRMOUNT PARK, PHILADELPHIA. 



Constructed in 1875. 



