Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park (September 1915): Thirteenth EditionHornaday, William T. (William Temple)
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Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park (September 1915): Thirteenth Edition
Hornaday, William T. (William Temple)
New York Zoological Park
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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