History of the National Zoological Gardens of  South Africa:

1. The Founding:

In October 1899,  dr.  Jan  Willem Boudewyn Gunning,  the then director of the state museum, of the Transvaal Republic  moved a collection of animals from the museum's back yard to the farm "Rus in Urbe".   The animals were kept in the museum's backyard ostensible for taxidermal purposes, although Dr Gunning had other plans in mind...     

In 1895, the Transvaal Republican Government bought the farm " Rus In Urbe" with the aim of establishing a zoo.  However after the Jameson raid late in 1895, this plan was abandoned and the farm was converted into a hostel for young men.  When the Anglo- Boer War broke out in October 1899, the young men left for the war and Dr Gunning saw his chance.  On his instigation, the residents living in the areas surrounding the State museum,  complained  to the authorities about the noise and odours eminating from the animals.  As a result, Dr Gunning obtained permission to transfer the animals between the 18th and the 21st of October 1899 to "Rus in Urbe"  on the banks of the Apiesriver and the present state of the Zoo.       

The Zoo's animal collection started  with  the following 16 mammal species : 

 A South Afrivan hedgehog,            An afrivan civit

A chacma baboon                             A greyhound dog

A yellow baboon                                A large spotted genet

A Senegal bushbaby                        A black-backed jackal

A vervet monkey                                A yellow mongoose

Woodland dormouse                        A Burchell's zebra

A siamese cat                                      A black wildebeest

2. The infant:                                                                    (The first few years)                                                          

1902            Building of a lion house

1907             Camp for buffalo and zebra

There is also some interesting references to deaths in the Zoo.  An example is an incident that occurred in 1907, when a swarm of bees invaded the Zoo killing several animals. Amongst those animals killed was a leopard, a mongoose lemur and six ring tailed lemurs.