Manila Zoo 16535

There were other places considered, but for various valid reasons, each of them was discarded as unsuitable. The Manila Bay Resort along Parañaque ad the Quezon Memorial Park in Quezon City was outside the City limits. The only suitable place, Mayor Lacson and his planners decided was Harrison Park. It was wide enough, it was accessible, and it was perfect.Even as the construction on work for the Zoo was going on, negotiations were conducted at various levels to secure its inhabitants. City officials, business firms, ambassadors and consuls took fancy on the project and started their own solicitation. In a beautiful display of goodwill and cooperation, the animals began to trickle in from near and far. Most of them were outright donations. Deers, burros, hawks, eagles were received from some prominent citizens. The teachers and pupils at Gomez Elementary School gave a monkey. The City Jail Cooperative Association two (2) Guinea fowls, the Davao Penal Colony-four (4) herons, two (2) grass owls, 6 wild doves, one soft shell turtle and others.Malvin Jones, the 500-pound lion donated by the Lions Club International, was an international undertaking. Coming from Capetown, it was stranded in New York because of lack of space for its board and transportation History to Manila. A”Get-Melvin to Manila” committee compos donation from soft-drinks firm. He was flown to San Francisco and then to Manila after a luncheon in his honor at Savoy Hilton Hotel on Fifth Avenue. Everyone was so anxious about Melvin’s safety that he was insured for $ 25,000, His triumphant arrival in Manila was awaited expectantly. He seemed to have realized what trouble had been gone through for him because he was unusually meek that day. Now he reigns as king of the Zoo in his big den donated by the Manila Lions Club at the Rocky Hill. At this writing, the zoo has been open only for seven (7) months yet, its issions to date are close to the 1,700,000-mark. This can be explained by the fact that the Zoo is something new to most Manilas of today. Now they can look familiarly at creatures that were once merely unfamiliar names in animal lore, like elands, gnus, yaks, kudus, buffaloes and wallabies. Today, there are even children’s parties held in the Zoo. The kids would come in hunting clothes, watch the animals and romp around the playground. Food is served in fashionable restaurant (The Aristocrat Safari Restaurant) alongside the premises. Several garden clubs conduct their regular meetings in its botanical garden. At the same time helping take care of its trees and plants. The zoo will someday in the center of observance like plant and animal week, or Recreation Day during the Boys and Girls Wee. To date, despite limited facilities and experience, the mortality rate in the Zoo is very low- 6.34%. Other advanced Zoos have a rate as high as 18%. Most of the animal casualties occurred during the quarantine period. The leopard from Malaya escaped from its den and had to be shot because of the danger it posed to the neighborhood. Many have missed the playful Chilean penguins which could not stand the heat. One of the Municipal Boards enacted an Ordinance penalizing persons who in any manner should harm the animals or plants. The penalty is imprisonment of not more than six (6) months and a fine of not more than P200.00. The Zoo has big plans for expansion because public response has been so heartening. It intends to acquire more animals by outright purchase or by exchange. A zoo in Mexico, for instance is offering it a puma exchange for a common carabao. The Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden is home to about a thousand animals from 90 species as of April 2015. The zoo's most popular resident is Mali, an Asian elephant

who arrived at the zoo in 1977 as 3 year old calf transported from Sri Lanka, after being poached from the wild. Other Animals residing in Manila Zoo includes a Bengal tiger, Malayan civet, monitor lizard and hippopotamus. Many of the animals of the zoo were born in captivity with three month-old juveniles recently born in April 2015. The zoo management is planning to transfer many of its animals to a separate breeding area or sanctuary outside Metro Manila due to over congestion in the zoo. The zoo is planned to be just an exhibit area. The Manila Zoo has a land area of 5.5 hectares. According to its year 2007 records, the zoo houses 106 different species and has a population of 500 animals. It has 30 different kinds of mammals, 63 reptiles and 13 different bird species. These include exotic birds, pot-bellied pigs, miniature animals, crocodiles, peacocks, rabbits, snakes, ostriches, tortoises, tigers, lions, different monkeys, different types of lizards and more. The most famous occupant in the zoo is Mali, an orphaned Asian elephant. Visitors are allowed to feed the animals with the animal’s specific preference of food. The zoo offers entertainment, educational and interactive activities for all ages. Inside Manila Zoo is the Kinder Zoo where children as well as other visitors are allowed to feed, touch, pat and interact with the animals. Children can play with the animals as well as discover and learn about the animals’ characteristics and their environment. There are also other activities inside the Kinder Zoo such as Butterfly Dome, Exotic Birds Aviary, Koi Pond, Philippine Mouse Deer House, Petting Zoo, Turtle Pond, Party Barn, Playground, Hanging Bridge, and Flamingo Pond. At the center of the zoo is a small lagoon or pond where visitors can experience boat riding. There is a small island at the center of the lagoon. Boat riders paddle their way around this island. There are also many restaurants, canteens and souvenir shops inside the zoo. The zoo also has several playgrounds for the children and tables and benches where families may have picnics.