A week ago, there was a day of entrance-by-gold-coin-donation at Wellington Zoo. I trotted along and was surprised how much the zoo has changed in the 10 years or so since I last visited. It's rather like a mini-Melbourne Zoo (but without the elephants). Quite green and lush.
I remember when I was a child there was the chimps' tea party at the zoo. Of course, it's horrendous to think of forcing beautiful animals to do something like that today, just to amuse us. I'm glad it's not like that now. However, the chimps' tea party is part of history and, as part of history, the past should be recognised as happening, even if we are embarrassed by it.
Wellington Zoo have openly recognised their past. Alongside the present chimps' enclosure, there is a plaque, produced by Weta, that shows the nineteen-fifties chimps having a tea party with their keeper.
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