Overview

To modern sensibilities zoos may seem unnatural places where animals lead miserable lives. But in better zoos animals wander in spaces resembling natural habitats. As Dublin Zoo makes the transition from bars and cages to state-of-the-art animal habitats it is appropriate to record its story so far, richly illustrated with images of animals and visitors. Beginning in 1831, stories of animals and visitors are interwoven to record magical moments as visitors experienced the smells, sounds, behaviours and magic of exotic animals. The mixed fortunes of the Zoo are traced as it survived the famine years, political trouble, economic hardship and public discomfort with wild animals kept in cages. Tales of elephants, chimpanzees, Pet's Corner, lions and flamingos are combined with memories of family outings, school trips, and social events in a celebratory history of the 'ah-Zoo' in the Phoenix Park. A young Queen Victoria became patron in 1837 and visited in 1900; in 1903 an elephant crushed a man's head; Roger Casement donated numerous South American animals; Zoo parties and dances were fashionable in the 1950s and 60s; transformation into a modern zoo began with government support in 1987. Dublin Zoo's proud past is united with present and future direction as the extraordinary changes in recent years are described. Today, the Zoo plays an important role in the international zoo community and in significant global conservation and education programs.

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9781848890084

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Reviews

'Shines a light on the rich and varied tapestry of Dublin Zoo's 179-year history' Sunday Business Post 'Some of the more memorable and exciting moments [of Dublin Zoo's history] are brought to life by 400 dramatic images' Irish Daily Mail 'A joy to read' Irish Examiner

Author Information

Catherine de Courcy grew up in Dublin, graduated from UCD in 1979 and became a professional librarian. She worked in libraries in Ireland, Papua New Guinea and Australia. She travelled the Australian outback with her husband, John, and wrote several guidebooks. She has an international reputation as a historian of zoos. In 2003, some years after John's death, she returned to Ireland and is now a full-time writer. Her book An Adventure in Grief (Cork, 2009) recounts how Catherine coped with the death of her husband.

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