January 17, 2010

Chillin'


How was this ever an okay way to house polar bears on a long-term basis? Then again, a big enough tub can make anything a little more livable.

Forest Park Zoo, St. Louis
1915, photographer J. R. Eike
from The Thomas Kempland Collection

4 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

I saw polar bears in the Jax zoo when I was a child and it was not unlike this scene. It was about ninety degrees and even as young as I was, I knew THIS WAS SO WRONG.
Thank goodness we have gotten a little more educated about some things. Although it is somewhat ironic that as we have learned to take better care of our animals in captivity, we are swiftly erasing the natural habitat of so many of those same animals. Polar bears, for example.

That Hank said...

We'll name our cities for them when they are all dead.

May said...

PB1: Hello Polar Bear.
PB2: Hello Polar Bear.
PB1: That's a mighty nice bathtub you've got there.
PB2: Yes, yes it is.
PB1: It looks very nice and chilly. Is it, um, is it very chilly?
PB2: Oh yes! Quite chilly, thank you.
PB1: Okay then. Yes. Well. I guess I'll just sit over here then. On this warm concrete.
PB2: Alright then! Lovely chatting with you! (humm humm hummy humm... nice chilly chilly hummmy chilly humm....)

That Hank said...

Yes, that is exactly how I saw it, too.