OF WILD ANIMALS 287 



The killing of natural prey for daily food is not murder. 

 A starving wolf on the desolate barren grounds may even kill 

 and devour a wounded pack-mate without becoming a criminal 

 by that act alone. True, such a manifestation of hard-hearted- 

 ness and bad taste is very reprehensible; but its cause is hunger, 

 not sheer blackness of heart. Among wild animals, the wanton 

 killing of a member of the killer's own species would constitute 

 murder in the first degree, and so is all unnecessary and wanton 

 killing outside the killer's own species. 



To many a wild animal there comes at times the murder 

 lust which under the spur of opportunity leads to genuine 

 crime. In some of the many cases that have come under my 

 notice, the desire to commit murder for the sake of murder 

 has been as sharply denned as the fangs or horns of the crim- 

 inal. Of the many emotions of wild animals which are revealed 

 more sharply in captivity than in a state of nature, the crime- 

 producing passions, of jealousy, hatred, desire for revenge, and 

 devilish lust for innocent blood, are most prominent. In the 

 management of large animals in captivity, the criminal instinct 

 is quite as great a trouble-breeder and source of anxiety as are 

 wild-animal diseases, and the constant struggle with the 

 elements. 



In many cases there is not the slightest premonitory mani- 

 festation of murderous intent on the part of a potential crim- 

 inal. Indeed, with most cunning wisdom, a wild-animal 

 murderer will often conceal his purpose until outside inter- 

 ference is an impossibility, and the victim is entirely helpless. 

 These manifestations of fiendish cunning and premeditation 

 are very exasperating to those responsible for the care of 

 animals in captivity. 



In every well regulated zoological park, solitary confine- 

 ment is regarded as an unhappy or intolerable condition. 

 Animals that live in herds and groups in large enclosures always 

 exercise more, have better appetites, and are much more 

 contented and happy than individuals that are singly confined. 



