alt.hn

4/22/2025 at 3:57:47 AM

'World War Zoos' Review: Of Bombs and Beasts

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/world-war-zoos-review-of-bombs-and-beasts-a037c4b6

by pepys

4/22/2025 at 12:04:35 PM

> London Zoo penguins were fed “slivers of cat meat dipped in cod-liver oil.”

I'm fairly sure this is a mistake and is supposed to be "cat's meat"- in other words, cheap poor-quality meat sold as cat food, rather than the flesh of cats!

AFAIK the only London Zoo animals that were killed at the start of the war were the venomous/dangerous ones, because of the risk that they would escape if their cages were damaged by bombing.

(I thought it was just the venomous ones, so was a bit surprised about the tiger)

The zoo raised rabbits and guinea pigs to feed to the carnivorous animals.

by Ichthypresbyter