Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 6

Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 6

Suleiman Markhor.

Arcal Mountain Sheep.

Mouflon.

Persian Wild Goat.

Himalayan Tahr.

Aoudad.

 

 

Because of the curious (and unaccountable) fact that they do not thrive

on Mountain Sheep Hill, the Rocky Mountain Goat and Chamois are

exhibited elsewhere. The former will be found near the Pheasant Aviary,

next to the Musk-ox.

 

Visitors are requested to make note of the fact that _in winter_, the

_Arcal Sheep, Mouflon, and other delicate sheep are exhibited in the

Small-Deer House_.

 

The White-Fronted Musk-Ox, (_Ovibos wardi_, Lydekker), is represented in

the Park by a herd of six specimens. Five of these animals were born in

May, 1910, in Ellesmere Land, and captured in that year by Paul J.

Rainey and Harry C. Whitney, and presented by Mr. Rainey. The sixth

individual, a vigorous and rather vicious female, was born on Melville

Island, in May, 1909, and captured by Captain Joseph Bernier. Owing to

the domineering temper of “Miss Melville,” it is not possible to keep

her with the animals a year younger than herself, because she resents

their presence in her corral.

 

The Musk-Ox is an animal of strange form, inhabiting a small portion of

the Arctic regions of the western hemisphere, up to the very

northernmost points of land east of the Mackenzie River. At Fort Conger

(Latitude 81°, 40′), its flesh was a godsend to General Greely, and

later on to Commander Peary, also. Structurally, this animal stands in a

genus of its own (_Ovibos_), midway between the cattle and the sheep,

but it is unqualifiedly a misnomer to call it a “musk-sheep.”

 

An adult male Musk-Ox stands 4 ft. 5 in. high at the shoulders and is 6

ft. 7 in. in total length. Our first specimen was a female, two years

old. She stood 3 ft. 2 in. high at the shoulders, and was 4 ft. 10 in.

in total length. Her entire body was covered by a dense mass of fine

light brown hair, of a woolly nature, overlaid by a thatch of very long,

straight hair specially designed to shed rain.

 

The Musk-Ox inhabits the Barren Grounds of northern Canada north of

Latitude 64° from Great Bear Lake to Hudson Bay, Grant Land, and the

northeast coast of Greenland from Franz Josef Fiord (Latitude 70°) to

the most northerly point of land. About twenty living specimens have

been taken when very young at Franz Josef Fiord, by Swedish and

Norwegian whaling parties. The Peary Arctic Club, of New York, presented

to the New York Zoological Society a young calf which was captured by

Commander Peary at Fort Conger, in 1902, but it lived only a few months.

 

[Illustration: MOUFLON]

 

[Illustration: ARCAL SHEEP]

 

[Illustration: HIMALAYAN TAHR]

 

[Illustration: BURRHEL]

 

The Big-Horn Mountain Sheep, (_Ovis canadensis_), is exhibited in the

Zoological Park, whenever it may be obtained. The efforts that have been

made in New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Chicago to acclimatize

the Big-Horn of the Rocky Mountains have proven the extreme difficulty

involved in keeping specimens of that species alive and in good

condition anywhere in the Mississippi Valley, or on the Atlantic coast.

The changes of atmosphere and temperature seem more violent than

American mountain sheep are fitted by nature to endure, and thus far all

specimens tried have died within a comparatively few months.

 

[Illustration: CHAMOIS]

 

[Illustration: MARKHOR]

 

In his own country, the Rocky Mountain Big-Horn is a bold, hardy and

robust animal. He is high-headed, keen-sighted, and a sure-footed

mountaineer. He dwells in the wildest and most picturesque country that

he can find between the “bad-lands” of western North Dakota and the line

of perpetual snow on the Rockies. His massive circling horns render his

head a much-coveted trophy, and his flesh is most excellent food. A

full-grown ram (_Ovis canadensis_) stands 41 inches in height at the

shoulders, and weighs 316 pounds.

 

[Illustration: AOUDAD]

 

[Illustration: PERSIAN WILD GOAT]

 

This species ranges from the northern states of Mexico to northern

British Columbia and it culminates (i. e., reaches its finest

development) in southeastern British Columbia. In Northwest Alaska other

related species occur. A female specimen from southeastern British

Columbia was exhibited in the Zoological Park during 1905 and 1906, and

in 1902, a male specimen of a closely related species (_Ovis nelsoni_)

was also here.

 

As opportunities offer to procure male specimens, that have been kept in

their home region until they are at least a year and a half old, they

will be purchased and exhibited.

 

The Mouflon, (_Ovis musimon_), or Wild Sheep of Sardinia, is represented

by a fine pair of specimens presented by Maurice Egerton, Esq., of

London, and a young male born in the Park. The female of the adult pair

was captured when a lamb in the mountains of Sardinia by Mr. Egerton.

The ram of this species is handsomely colored, and this specimen is

noted for his friendliness, and his fondness for admiration.

 

The Arcal Mountain Sheep, (_Ovis cycloceros_), is one of the smallest

mountain sheep of India of the “big-horn” type (with circling horns).

The fully adult male, with its long undermane of coarse, shaggy hair and

proud postures, is a very noteworthy creature. This species inhabits the

mountains of northern India, Tibet, Afghanistan, Beluchistan and

southern Persia.

 

The Burrhel, or Blue Mountain Sheep, (_Ovis burrhel_), also of northern

India, is of quite a different mould from the preceding species. Its

countenance has almost a benign __EXPRESSION__, and its curious out-pointing

horns, of large size give it a most jaunty air. By some it is regarded

as the most beautiful of all mountain sheep. In size, however, it is not

imposing, for it is one of the smallest species. It is not so hardy as

the preceding species, and there may be periods when there are no

specimens on exhibition.

 

The Aoudad, or Barbary Wild Sheep, (_Ovis tragelaphus_), comes from the

hot, dry mountains of northern Africa, and it endures the cold, wet

climate of New York in a manner sufficient to put to shame our American

mountain sheep, goat and other western ruminants. The largest male

Aoudad of our herd is a very fine specimen of its kind. He is as fond of

admiration as any peacock, and often poses in striking attitudes on the

highest point of his rocks. He was born here on March 19, 1902.

 

The Himalayan Tahr, (_Hemitragus jemlaicus_), is really a wild goat, of

very odd and picturesque aspect, native of the higher ranges of the

Himalayas of northern India. Its horns are short and thick, and its body

is covered with long, purplish-brown hair which is much blown about by

the wind. It dwells amongst the most dangerous crags and precipices,

just below timber-line, and in reality is a forest-loving animal. Its

hair is the longest to be found on any member of the two subfamilies of

goats and goat-like animals. The pair on exhibition have bred here, and

the young have been successfully reared to maturity. The young Tahr is

very small, but remarkably nimble-footed and capable.

 

The Chamois, (_Rupicapra tragus_), has usually been represented in the

hoofed-animal collection, but always out of its proper installation. Our

individuals have not thriven on Mountain Sheep Hill, always becoming ill

soon after being placed there. They thrive well, however, in a small

wire pen with a sanded floor quite near the Puma and Lynx House (No.

33A), and there we keep them.

 

This animal is one of the rock antelopes, and is related to the American

Mountain Goat. It is a bold mountaineer, and even to-day is pictorially

represented as leaping “from crag to crag” across chasms apparently 200

feet wide! Its home is in the mountains of southern Europe, especially

the Pyrenees, the Swiss Alps and the Caucasus Mountains. But it is not

so exclusively a crag-dweller, as most persons have been led to suppose,

for in many localities it inhabits mountain forests. Like most other

mountain ungulates, the Chamois dwell high in summer, and in winter they

seek lower and more sheltered situations. They are exceedingly wary and

agile, and sure-footed on dangerous ground.

 

 

THE ANTELOPE HOUSE, NO. 50.

 

The Antelope House occupies a commanding situation on a high,

tree-covered knoll at the south end of the Zoological Park. The

situation seems as if specially formed by Nature to be occupied by this

building, and its outside enclosures. The drainage is quite perfect, and

the yards are well-shaded.

 

The building has been designed to meet the wants of giraffes and large

African antelopes of all kinds, more especially those which require 60°

of heat in winter.

 

[Illustration: NILGAI: INDIAN ANTELOPE.]

 

The Antelope House is 142 feet long by 78 feet in extreme width. In

architectural style it conforms with the other large animal buildings of

the Park. Both for visitors and for its animals, it is roomy and well

lighted, and in every way fitted to house and display a large and

valuable collection of tropical hoofed animals. It contains 24 interior

compartments, directly connected with 23 open-air yards for use in mild

weather. This building was completed and occupied on October 17, 1903,

and with all its surrounding improvements has cost about $80,000.

 

As the visitor will observe from the following enumeration of species,

our collection of large and rare African and Asiatic antelopes is very

rich. Unfortunately, until the completion of the Zebra House releases

the apartments now occupied by the equines, a number of species which

belong in the Antelope House must temporarily be quartered elsewhere.

 

The Nubian or Three-Horned Giraffes, (_Giraffa camelopardalis_), are at

present the most important and interesting animals in the building. The