ABC Podcasts
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Monkey escape at Taronga Zoo!
Monkey escape at Taronga Zoo!
Monkey escape at Taronga Zoo!
Tuesday 31st May 2022
Alan Hale shares his teenage adventure at Taronga Zoo and the monkey escape that turned Sydney upside down. Listen now on 'Days Like These'.
30 minutes
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Get the buttons here!Monkey Mayhem at Taronga Zoo: Alan Hale's Unforgettable Adventure
It's like a scene from Jumanji come to life, as the monkeys are absorbed into the oncoming crowd, leaving a trail of destruction behind them, and the public are thinking: this is a new experience, you know, and it's quite normal.
Imagine being a teenager, fresh out of Launceston, and landing a job at one of the most famous zoos in Australia. That's exactly what happened to Alan Hale in the mid-1960s. In this episode of 'Days Like These', Alan takes us back to his wild days working at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The zoo was buzzing with excitement thanks to Sir Edward Hallstrom, its chief benefactor, who was pouring his fortune into bringing exotic animals to the collection.
Alan, a young apprentice, found himself tasked with cleaning the monkey cages each morning. It was a dream job—until one fateful day when things went hilariously wrong. Alan accidentally left a cage door open, and before he knew it, thirty mischievous macaque monkeys had made their great escape. What followed was pure chaos as the monkeys ventured into the suburbs of Sydney, turning backyards into their playgrounds and giving the locals a story to tell for years.
For about two weeks, zoo staff were on a wild goose chase, or rather, a monkey chase, trying to recapture the runaway primates. This episode isn't just about the escape; it also sheds light on the challenges and costs of acquiring rare animals for the zoo. Alan's story is a delightful mix of youthful blunders, animal antics, and the unexpected twists that life can throw at you.
Perfect for anyone who loves a good laugh and a peek into the past, this episode is sure to entertain and amuse.