Friday 9 June 2006
'We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo . . .'
Memories and experiences of Wellington zookeepers, and others who have had strong connections with the Wellington Zoo,
will be handed over to the Turnbull Library's Oral History Centre next week.
The Wellington Zoo Centenary Oral History Project was commissioned by the Wellington Zoo Trust, and funded by the
Lottery Grants Board, in recognition of the Zoo's centenary, that is being celebrated this year.
The project, consisting of 15 interviews and including stories that reach back as far as the 1930s, was carried out by
oral historian Susan Fowke.
'The interviews cover a wide range of experience, from elephant-keeping to breeding kiwi, to watching chimpanzees' tea
parties, but the common denominator is always a love of animals,' Ms Fowke said.
'At the time of the interviews, six were with current Zoo employees and two with past employees. Of these, there are
three women and five men. The remaining seven are people who had strong childhood connections with the Zoo - either
because their fathers were zookeepers or because they were regular visitors. Two are grandchildren of one of the
original Zoo benefactors.
'The Zoo's longest-serving employee was one of the people interviewed. Frank Coles started work at the Zoo in 1954 as a
14-year-old and now, 52 years on, is still working there,' Ms Fowke said.
'Mr Coles is highly regarded for his work as keeper of the chimpanzees. At first he worked alongside his father, Ken
Coles, who was Head Keeper when the chimpanzees first arrived at the zoo, and together they trained the chimpanzees for
their public tea parties. Later Frank and his wife hand-raised two baby chimps in their own home - bottle feeding with
advice from the Karitane Hospital - because the mother could not feed them. After a year living with the Coles, the
chimps were successfully reintegrated with their mother and the rest of the group.
ENDS