10/15 
Dear Ted: 
Assume this will reach you dofnitime. 
The Great Kiwi Ceremony went well. The Prime Minister is charming. His nickname 
is "Kiwi." He sang us a song about it. In the midst, Bethea had a heart attack. 
He was off to the hospital in minutes, is now out of intensive care. 
The Los Angeles meetings went well also. WAPT did all the right things. AAZPA 
will have no more spring conventions. The LAZoo is going downhill. True, they 
have reworked many exhibits and will rework others. But there is physical 
deterioration evident. It wasn't built to last. With some exceptions, I like 
it less than when I first. saw it. Some good features. One is the best docent - 
program any zoo has anywhere. Incredible! 270 attractive females have taken 
a 13-week course (for which UCLA may give college credit), passed various 
exams, bought their own uniforms, committed one day a week, plus special * 
calls. Those I talked with around the zoo know more about the animals than 
many keepers dp. .Any one.of them can handle any of the prepared tours, 
graded from K-3 to professional, or the bus tour, or the rainy-day programs. 
I've listed us for an orangutan. We talked here about gorillas, after hearing 
prices like $6500 at L.A. Consensus: best, at present, not to seek an 
even-age m ate for Tomoka. Expensive, difficult to find a really good female 
of that age, and Tomoka's history is not the best. Better to begin with a 
juvenile pair, but no haste. Closed the deal on the’ Pere David. 
Two of the barns at Tankersley's are almost finished, and very good ones, too. 
Water and electricity not in yet, and no fencing. Plans are to have two » 
units operational by end of November, or sooner. 
The investigation report should be here today. The difficult case is being 
tossed to me for decision -- as it should be. 
Brazil schedule unchanged. They've bought me a ticket on Varig. Unfortunately, 
we can't get space on PandAm for the elands until the 27th, by which time 
Paulo and I will be at the Rio meeting. This may require some rescheduling. 
Varig won't carry animals. 
Otherwise, great masses of work, catching up after L.A., trying to shake off 
the cold compounded by the LA smog. Went backpacking last weekend for the 
first time this year. Felt wonderful, even the sore muscles on Monday. 
I dorff think we made it on the Endangered Species bill. Close. Got to the 
Senate floor, on the calendar, but far down. Gutermuth did a wonderful job, 
even a Bhite House call to McCormick and Mansfield. 
Police pay pill actually passed the House. Didn't make it to the Senate. 
OVER 
