Apollo (oryx)
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Apollo (later Tony) was an East African oryx (Oryx beisa) formerly exhibited at the Birmingham Zoo. He was purchased in 1961 from Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo for $1,000, which had been raised by selling two Siberian tiger cubs the previous year. He stood about three and a half-feet tall with prominent dark markings on his face and long, straight horns.
In 1962 he and his mate, Aphrodite, gave birth to a calf, Tuseven.
According to a news article, Apollo's name seemed too "noble" for an animal that seemed to spend most of its time ramming its head into the fence and breaking its narrow, spear-like horns. Keepers came to refer to him as "Tony" instead.
References
- Perry, James (March 20, 1961) "Beisa Oryx Awaits You at Morgan Zoo" Birmingham Post-Herald - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Spotswood, Frances (August 31, 1962) "$1,650 oryx calf born at local zoo." The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Spotswood, Frances (November 4, 1962) "Zoo personalities: Herman, Simsotty" The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections