ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
BULLETIN 
Published by the New York Zoological Society 
Volume XXV MARCH, 1922 Number 2 
FAR - DISTANT ZOOLOGICAL PARKS 
III. The Taronga Zoological Parle, Sydney, Australia 
By A. S. LeSouef, Director 
T HE first attempt to exhibit wild animals 
in Sydney, the capital of the State of 
New South Wales, arose from the intro¬ 
duction of foreign animals and birds for ac¬ 
climatisation purposes. These were temporarily 
accommodated in Moore Park, a small open 
space near the city, and the collection, together 
with specimens of the native fauna which were 
to be sent in exchange for those imported, 
proved of such interest to the public that it was 
decided to form a permanent zoological garden. 
Though these grounds did very well for many 
years under the guidance of the Zoological So¬ 
ciety' of New South Wales, they were unable 
to expand and keep pace with the growth of 
the city'. In 1907 it was decided to build a 
new zoo altogether, on a site more suited for 
the purpose. This was found on the Military 
Reserve, practically a virgin forest adjoining 
the suburb of Mosman, fifty acres of which were 
dedicated for zoological purposes and placed 
under a Government Trust of seven members, 
who elected the executive officers and appointed 
the employees. 
The work of construction was started in 1912 
and the Park was opened to the public, though 
still incompleted, in 1916. 
The requirements of wild animals in captivity 
are extremely' various, and it is impossible to 
get a site that will conform to the environment 
of species from hill and dale, forest and desert; 
but if choice is possible then the latitude, pre¬ 
vailing winds, soil, water, drainage are all gov¬ 
erned by accessibility and convenience of work¬ 
ing. 
Taronga Park seems to fill the bill for most 
of these items, with the additional asset of be¬ 
ing situated in one of the most picturesque 
spots on the shores of Sydney’s far famed har¬ 
bor. The area is a hill terraced from the 
harbor front to a height of 340 feet in a series 
of gentle slopes; a thin lay r er of soil covers 
porous sandstone which frequently outcrops in 
rugged masses. A fairly heavy growth of in¬ 
digenous trees covers a conspicuous plateau. 
The damming of a tiny rivulet enabled ponds 
to be made, while others were formed out of 
quarries which provided material for roads and 
buildings. Flat spaces were at a premium, but 
sufficient were available for the animals that 
imperatively require them, such as the camels, 
elephants, etc. 
Sy'dney being semi-tropical and south of the 
equator, practically all the animal enclosures 
are open. No large houses are required and 
very little shelter is necessary. However, as 
too much light is more trying to animals than 
too much darkness, the southerly aspect of the 
park is an important factor. Exposure to the 
northern glare would greatly' inconvenience if 
it would not kill the large carnivora, the bears 
being temperate-climate forest animals while 
the large felines are nocturnal. 
The laying out of the grounds, disposition of 
the cages and enclosures demanded careful 
thought. This work was based on several 
“desiderata” laid down beforehand, the main 
points of which were the following: 
(a) All paths should be curved. 
(b) Each enclosure should be viewed from 
two or more sides. 
( c ) Bars and fences were as far as possible 
to be eliminated, but where necessary 
were to be as inconspicuous as possible. 
(d) Each order of animals to be on the same 
section of the grounds. 
(e) Ample lawns and resting places were to 
be provided for the public. 
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