Later in camp, “One Eared Lucy” is shown not only to have recovered but also to be putting on weight. (In his files, Richard Reynolds probably has information on a one-eared rhino that was exhibited in 1930s.) |
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Fang And Claw #8
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3 comments:
One eared Lucy was taken to Buck’s compound at Katong, Singapore. From there she went aboard the Isthmian freighter,” Steel Navigator.” It docked at Staten Island, NY on September 13, 1935. From there Lucy was transported to Buck’s Jungle Camp at Amityville, Long Island, NY.
Buck offered her for sale, but because she had only one ear, zoos did not want her - -that despite the fact that at the time Indian rhinos were great zoo rarities, there being only three in American zoos (Bronx, Philadelphia, and St Louis - -each of them obtained though Frank Buck).
The new Brookfield zoo badly wanted to get an Indian rhino, but declined the offer of “Lucy” because of her missing ear. So Buck was stuck with her.
She was so tame that, when let out of her enclosure, she would follow Buck around the camp like a dog.
Buck finally talked George Vierheller of the St Louis zoo into taking her. He already had a male, “Harry” (from Buck) and “Lucy” would have made for a pair of Indian rhinos. That would have been a first in American zoo history.
Alas, “Lucy” died just before she could be sent to St Louis. Seems she got hold of some moldy hay which caused a serious stomach ailment resulting in her death. Buck said that altogether he had “Lucy” at his Amityville Jungle Compound for five months.
Buck’s movie, “Fang and Claw,” featuring Lucy’s capture, was released in December 1935.
In 1933 Buck had filmed the movie “Wild Cargo,” released in March 1934. It featured the capture in Nepal of a young male Indian rhino who went to the St Louis zoo, arriving there on January 19, 1934. He was named “Harry” and “One eared Lucy” would have been his mate.
RJR,
You are indeed special..... Thank you.
Wade Burck
Your detailed note Richard about the
ship & the steamship line made me
curious enough that I looked them up
I've sent the info to Buckles
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