We’ve hit 50 newquayzoohistory blogposts towards our 50th Anniversary and dozens more posts are scheduled over the next few weeks and months as we scan our photo and archive collection.
We look forward to sharing ‘Photo Gems’ like this early 1970s picture of our Penguins swimming (where the Meerkats now dig), used in our mid 1970s guidebook.
An archive record card can be found for this group. Six slightly moulting Humboldt penguins are shown – feather moulting is a sign of summer – and a clue to date summer of 1974 / 75 when we had 5 to 6 penguins.
2 penguins arrived in May 1969 from Councillor Jimmy Rogers, owner of the Bay Hotel and supporter of the early Zoo. I’m told some of these came from the Penguin group at Tower Road Mini Golf (shown below).
A better quality colour print exists in our Archive but it is ‘crop topped’, missing the interesting background.
In the cropped off top section, you can see our camel(s) where the 1998 Puma / 2018 Lynx Enclosure is now sited. A full car park beyond the fence!
In what is now the play area, a couple of flightless Rhea can be seen and a simple amenity horticulture rockery with Cornish palm?
The biggest joy of the picture are the 70s hair, sideburns and clothes, pure Bay City Rollers and Osmonds hair that I remember as a 70s child! Big lapels, all wearing the same two tone T-shirts …
Anyone recognise these 1970s likely lads? Locals or tourists?
Another little gem of Newquay Zoo History bought to you from our Archives as we countdown towards our 50th Anniversary on 26 May 1969 https://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/50thanniversary
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