Village Squire, 1979-01, Page 16waterfalls, trees and bushes, giving the birds a natural setting in
which to live. Such a setting is more conducive to the successful
breeding of new species in captivity than a clinical environment.
In 1974, Peter and his assistants achieved first European
successful breeding in captivity of the Van Den Bosch's Pitta,
better known as the Jewel Thrush, a bird native to tropical
forests ranging from Africa to the Solomon Islands and
Australia. The Blackpool Zoological Gardens was awarded a
Foreign Bird League Breeder's Certificate in recognition of the
feat, and in 1974, Peter published an account of the breeding and
rearing of the Pittas in the Avicultural Magazine, a world-wide
publication.
Peter recalls other experiences at Blackpool. Two white
rhinoceros were imported from Africa, and a few months later
the staff was surprised by the birth of a 93 pound baby rhino
y:hich had been conceived in Africa. The baby rhino was given to
Or London Zoo, which later sent it to Peking in exchange for a
panda.
While at the Blackpool Zoological Gardens, Peter became
interested in taxidermy. Many animals died of natural causes,
and it seemed a shame to destroy the carcass, when it could be
restored. Mounting requires skinning the animal until only the
hide remains. then attaching the legs with wires and injecting
styrofoam to return the original body shape.
According to Peter, anyone can learn the process of taxidermy
by reading a library book, but a good taxidermist must be a
naturalist first. He must be familiar with the animal, bird or fish
he is mounting. He must know its habits, how it moves, walks,
flies. swims.
An inexperienced taxidermist will simply mount a woodpecker
on a piece of bark. but an experienced taxidermist knows the
wkxidpecker must be mounted vertically on a tree with its tail
v.edged for support and its claws dug in. Likewise. some people
want a fox mounted with a snarl on its face, but in reality, a fox
looks as though it is laughing.
Tltc smallest specimen Peter has mounted is a two-inch long
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ruby -throated humming bird; the largest is a buffalo head that
weighed 75 pounds when completed. Last year he also mounted
. an eleven -and -one-half pound rainbow trout that he caught.
Another thing Peter learned at the Zoological Gardens was the
expense of maintaining a zoo. The animals were fed top-quality
fruits and vegetables and meat, that was almost up to human
consumption. Just one elephant ate 70 bales of hay and 60 to 70
pounds of vegetables and drank 60 gallons of water a day.
Because of our sagging economy, visitors to zoos will probably
have to pay more, Peter feels, to help finance the upkeep. He
believes it is worth the price, and he hopes the public can be
educated to the danger of extinction of some species and the
importance of protecting the animals.
"A zoo," says Peter, "should be a learning experience not a
sideshow."
The Blackpool Zoological Gardens and the Toronto Metro Zoo
are two excellent concepts, but Peter deplores other types of zoos '
that consider animals only as a means of profit. It is common
knowledge that animals in zoos are often abused and harrassed
by some ignorant or sadistic members of the public. Peter knows
of a particular case in which an animal died after it was fed a
plastic bag. The public must be educated in the proper
treatment.
"The animals are only as good as the people who keep them,"
says Peter. "If you treat them right, they seem very appreciative
of everything you do for them, more so than some humans."
That's some of the information he'll probably pass on to his
customers at his pet shop in Goderich. the Fin 'n Beak.
Operation
Life/tile
Lifestyle is having the ca-
pacity to react against the
cigarette habit, stimulants
and tranquilizers, pot and
alcohol. It's avoiding drug
abuse and rejecting illegal
drues.
The Good
StufPs
litilii V allaee ANe. N. Phone 291-1461
on Sa
AT
le
ZIILIAX
Furniture & Appliances
LISTOWEL
January 1979. Village Squire 13