The zoo story: the animals, the history, the people
1995. Published by Penguin, Melbourne.
An important history of zoos that explores the twelve elements of the modern zoo.
The zoo story looks at the history and development of one of our most controversial public institutions. It shows how zoos have evolved from private menageries to public parks, how they have reconciled the public’s interest in exotic animals with a contemporary emphasis on education and conservation.
Out of print.
“Far from being a bland institutional record, the Zoo Story is a broad history of the world zoo movement with Melbourne as the common reference point. It represents an exercise in self-examination thought to be unprecedented among zoos.”
“In her wide-ranging and lively study, de Courcy traces zoo development from the funpark era to world study centres... She doesn’t ignore the nastier side of animal collection, and questions ‘what exactly constitutes captivity not only in modern zoos but in wildlife parks.”
“I like Catherine’s telling of the zoo story: the way in which she identifies a number of threads and then skilfully keeps track of them as they begin to interweave and tangle with each other.”
“De Courcy has skilfully married a well-researched and referenced account of the evolution of the modern zoo to the history of Melbourne Zoo. Such an approach runs the risk of not doing either job well, however, this author succeeded in placing Melbourne Zoo in its international and historical context. The result is a well structured and very readable work with wider appeal than a purely historical account of one local zoo.”
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