Whipsnade Zoo

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  • Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell (ZSL Secretary 1903-1935) was inspired by a visit to the Bronx Zoological Park to create a park in Britain as a conservation centre. Hall Farm, a derelict farm on the Dunstable Downs, 30 miles (48 km) to the north of London was purchased by the Zoological Society of London in 1926 for £13,480 12s 10d, The site was fenced, roads built and trees planted. The first animals arrived at the park in 1928, including two Lady Amherst's pheasants, a golden pheasant and five red junglefowl. Others soon followed, including muntjac, llama, wombats and skunks. Whipsnade Park Zoo opened on Sunday 23 May 1931. It was the first open zoo in Europe to be easily accessible to the visiting public. The collection of animals was boosted in 1932 by the purchase of a collection from a defunct travelling menagerie and some of the larger animals walked to the zoo from Dunstable station. During the Second World War, the zoo acted as a refuge for animals evacuated from London Zoo. During 1940, 41 bombs fell on the park with little damage to the zoo structure. Some of the ponds in the park are the remains of bomb craters from this period.

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      Whipsnade Zoo

      Whipsnade Zoo

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      Whipsnade Zoo

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        Whipsnade Zoo

          280 Archival description results for Whipsnade Zoo

          279 results directly related Exclude narrower terms
          Prince Philip
          SEC/13/1/104 · File · 1961-1970
          Part of ZSL Secretaries

          Correspondence with Prince Philip regarding accepting the position of President of the Zoological Society of London, nominations for Vice-President, statements and newspaper cuttings on the abolition of zoos, 'The Countryside in 1970, and the railway at Whipsnade
          Puddle, W
          SUP/5/1/2/182 · Item · 1946
          Part of Superintendents

          Letter regarding a decision not to move the wolves at Whipsnade and to cut the tops out of dangerous conifers in the Wolf Wood. Also a list of implements belonging to the Gardening Department at Whipsnade
          Rana Cottage
          WHI/4/7 · File · 1945-1951
          Part of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

          Correspondence and papers regarding the property Rana Cottage (Hain's Bung), Whipsnade
          Regent's Park Accident Book
          STA/7/8 · Item · 1948-1959
          Part of Staff

          Volume of accidents which happened to employees at London and Whipsnade Zoo between 1948 and 1959. Includes staff member names, location and description of accidents, and if they had to stop work for any period of time due to injury