Bringing city zoo's wild past back to life

Published on Saturday 30 January 2010 10:39

To view a slide show featuring more pictures of Edinburgh Zoo from days gone by log on to www.edinburghnews.com

WHAT kind of monkey business is this? A group of chimps armed with special cameras? Don't they know the stars of Edinburgh Zoo are the penguins, and have been for decades?

Just look at the crowd they attracted in 1955 for a special show at the Ross Bandstand. And of course there is the daily penguin parade, which began in 1951 when a keeper accidentally left the gate open. The penguins went for a walk and then returned to their enclosure, beginning a tradition which is still a top draw today.

Still it was the chimps at the zoo who were in the news this week, with the screening of a BBC2 show called Chimpcam Project.

Chimps might be able to work a camcorder but Scrap the cheetah had other talents. Every night she was taken for a walk, which included a visit to the main gate of the zoo. Out on the pavement, she happily ignored the cars, buses and lorries. But her attitude changed when she heard a scooter or motorcycle. Then she'd be crouched, ready for take-off. Edinburgh Zoo director Gilbert Fisher reckoned the cheetah just wanted to test her speed.

Kumba the gorilla could have probably handled a camera but then there were other tasks earmarked for him when he arrived at Edinburgh Zoo as part of a breeding programme in 1993.

It's not every day that an eight-stone baby is born, and you would expect the mother to show at least a couple of months before. But in 1998 baby white rhino Otze arrived as a surprise. No-one realised that the mother Umfolozi was pregnant until just a week before the birth.

Guinni and Nessi, the Toco toucans, were already celebrities when they were presented by the Guinness company to the zoo in 1963. The duo represented the company's advertising campaign at the time.

For many years, one of the best-loved attractions at the zoo was Sally the elephant, here in 1957 getting ready to carry out her summer job of giving children rides.