The Things You Learn – And Did I Need Too

The daughter working in India has just sent home  another box of books, some for her home library, some for the Little Street Library, and others for her old mother to read. Some are more interesting than others, whilst some involving the different cultural and religious influences are decidedly heavy going.

I recently finished “The Great Flap Of 1942” by Mukund Padmanabhan, a respected journalist, editor and researcher in south east Asia. Interestingly, it was the 10 page Epilogue at the back of the book that grabbed my attention focussing on what happened to animals in zoos during World War 2.

I had never given the situation of animals, captive or otherwise, during conflict any previous thought. Had you?

According to Padmanabhan, the paramilitary police in Madras, India, were given the task of shooting all “dangerous” animals dead in order to avert the risk of dangerous animals breaking free and preying on Madras residents in the event of Japanese bombs destroying the zoo and its enclosures. Animals slaughtered included lions, tigers, panthers and venomous snakes. 

In Britain animals were among the first casualties of WW2. The mass slaughter of pet dogs and cats occurred  before the bombings began. In London alone it is estimated that over 4,000,000 pets were killed in the first week of the war in September 1939.

London Zoo was better prepared and moved many of their animals to rural areas. However, many of the pythons, anacondas, saltwater fish were killed, as well as alligators, crocodiles and lion cubs.

And I had to read this twice without laughing:

“A black widow spider was beheaded.“

Rangoon Zoo in 1942 followed suit killing panthers, tigers and poisonous snakes.

Australia didn’t fare much better despite being so far away from the action. Three lions, a tiger and a leopard belonging to a circus were shot because the cost of petrol to transport them elsewhere was exorbitant.

All quite sobering, though I’m still trying to work out how to behead a spider. Wouldn’t it be easier to just to drop a brick on it? 

Anyway, I’m reverting to some Aussie crime novels for now: bodies turning up in barrels or concrete footings is far less blood thirsty.