Researched by Mary Geddes, Display Artist: Education Dept. 1994 - 1999 Early in 1904, 200 acres of land,offered by the firm of H. Eckstein & Co as a recreational venue in perpetuity, was officially accepted by the Town Council of Johannesburg and signed over to the people of Johannesburg.. This land was to be called "The Hermann Eckstein Park" in memory of the founder of the firm. Nowadays, this area comprises Zoo Lake and the Johannesburg Zoo,divided by Jan Smuts Avenue. Hermann Eckstein had been involved in the development of the then new mining town of Johannesburg. He had three million trees planted in an area he christened Sachsenwald, now the suburb of Saxonwold. After his death in 1893 the land was subdivided. His partners offered part of the plantation to the Town Council. It was South Africa’s well-known Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, a partner in the firm, who suggested that it be named after Hermann Eckstein. The nucleus of an animal collection was already kept on the grounds.  It comprised: 1 male Lion 1 male Baboon 1 female Leopard 1 pair Indian apes (later identified as Rhesus monkeys) 2 male Sable Antelope 1 Golden Eagle 1 Insimba Cat (a Genet) 1 pair Porcupines 1 female Giraffe Old Baboon Row The first "official" enclosure was built by the Town Council to house 2 young Lions. Only the Lions and Leopard were in the public area at this stage. Development of the park proceeded immediately and continued unabated for some years. Bridges were built over water courses, paths laid out, ornamental trees and gardens planted and animal houses built to house the ever-growing animal collection. The infant zoo received many donations of wild animals, many of which were arranged by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. The Zoo fell under Superintendent of Parks, Mr A.H. Stirrat who keenly encouraged children’s playgrounds and open recreation areas in the then formal, “keep-off-the-grass” parks. In 1910 a Bandstand was erected for the current popular live brass band music. The tramway from the town centre was extended to the zoo gates, resulting in an increase in visitors. Facilities for picnicking helped this park to become one of the most popular places to spend leisure time in, even though public toilets were only built in 1916 and waterborne sewerage installed in 1935. The development of Johannesburg Zoological Gardens closely followed the current European trends, largely due to a mostly colonial population. Between 1913 - 1915 A stone Elephant and Rhino house was erected. A few years later, a Hippo house and pool were added on alongside the Elephant House, and an Elephants’ bathing pool was constructed in 1937.  Also at this time, 1 Asian Elephant and 1 Bactrian Camel were purchased and trained for rides. Donkey and pony cart rides started in the late 1920s. These animal rides, including Llamas and a Zebra, continued to be popular until the late 1960s, though the variety of animals used was reduced. One day in 1963/1964, an elephant with a cargo of children left its regular route and ran back to the Elephant House, refusing to return to its routine. This event marked the end of the elephant rides, although the Donkey rides continued until the early 1990s.  The Elephant House was converted into an auditorium in the 1980s and remains a popular conference and function venue to this day, with its wooden block flooring still intact. Some of the old stone buildings constructed in the 1920s and 1930s are still in use today, though not as animal houses. The principle of “cages without bars” andthe use of vegetation and artificial rocks to give a natural look to the exhibits was started just after the turn of the century. It took many years for the trend to become the norm in zoos worldwide, but Johannesburg Zoo started its own moated camp system as early as 1921 with the original Lions' enclosure. This was stated to be the first open enclosure of its kind in South Africaand the large camps to be the first in zoos in the southern hemisphere. (Daily Mail 2/2/1939). Ironically, this first camp’s moat had to be filled in during 2001 because of drainage problems. It was then the practice in South Africa to have separate facilities for “Europeans and non-Europeans”, and the new playground installed in 1929 was no exception.do we need to bring racism in here? By 1927, the blue-gum tree plantation had largely been cleared to extend the recreational area. A new hospital was built in 1936. These buildings consisted simply of open-faced cages in rows facing north. The contrast between this and the current hospital, built in the 1960s and partially upgraded in the 1990s is enormous. It now has heated floors in the wards, a drive-through passageway, laboratory, surgery, X-ray room, examination room, and an entirely separate quarantine station, both served by a modern incinerator. The first guide-book was published in 1936 and proved very popular with visitors. Information contained within the guidebooks has changed over the years, from basic directional information and do’s and don’ts in the 1960s, to the comprehensive guide we see today, containing detailed information and photographs of all the animals on display. Copies from the 1970s and 1980s could also be useful to scholars for biology projects. For many years, plans for new animal houses were drawn up by the Town Engineers’ Department and not by zoologists. Perhaps for this reason, very few innovations were seen until private architects were involved in the designs. The 4 bear enclosures completed in 1939 and currently in use are a good example. Since medieval times, it was the practice to keep bears in pits and these enclosures, though beautifully executed in stone, remind many people of bear pits. The Zoo is currently raising funds to modify and extend this section into a more natural-looking environment. In 1949, for the first time in the zoos history, the Zoological collection was diminishing instead of growing, despite a number of private animal collections that were donated to the zoo.  By 1950, the need had arisen for a "master plan" to redesign the zoo over the next 10 to 15 years.However, this was delayed until the 1960s by inadequate funds, when a study tour of zoos in England and Europe was undertaken by senior officials to study layout and administration.  American consultants and architects were involved in the master plan. The major element was for open, large enclosures with moats. A major redevelopment of most of the zoo, including the horticultural layout, took place in the 1960s and continued into the 1970s due to labour shortages in the building trade from the mid-60s. Public awareness was changing ( when?) and visitors were becoming sceptical with the old zoo. The staff Zoologist recommended reducing the number of species on display in favour of larger, more natural displays of a more representative cross-section of each animal group. He also recommended establishing a “trademark” by which the zoo could be identified. These changes would enhance observational research and could eventually include a museum of zoological specimens, made available to students of all kinds. (see Biofacts Museum below). The Biofacts Museum, in operation since 1988, hires out animal specimens for a small fee to teachers, students and for commercial use. It is unique in that few museums allow people to take out items in this way. To date, there are over 700 catalogued specimens available to the public. In November 1963, a start was made to replace white labourers with “Bantu Animal Attendants”. Demotivation among keeper staff was a problem until some grading of posts took place in the early 1970s. In 1974, the first attempt was made to “professionalise” keepers and selected staff were sent on a part-time course on Wild Life Management Nowadays, the minimum requirement is Matric, plus relevant experience.