London Zoo and the Great Duke
October 22, 2018 - The Chairman in News & Blog Posts, Chairman's Blog
Who would have guessed that the Duke of Wellington was one of the founders of London Zoo? Before 1828 exotic animals taken into captivity at the height of the British Empire were placed within the Windsor Great Park and at Tower of London, a bizarre location for wild animals! Not only w
ere these establishments expensive but they were not obviously good environments for wild animals. Apparently several soldiers and keepers were injured or killed by the animals!
The Great Duke did much to establish the London Zoological Society and a suitable location. In 1831 on the Duke’s orders 150 animals were transported in open cages from the Tower to Regents Park and thus began London Zoo so revered by animal lovers today.
