72 Years Ago, Chimps Performed a Wild Circus at the St. Louis Zoo
If you weren't convinced that life was different back in 1950, I can prove how different it was with a vintage film showing a wild circus of performing chimps that happened in the St. Louis Zoo.
When I came across this new video share on YouTube, I had to do research to make sure something wasn't trying to put one over on me. I can confirm this is very real. It's a film directed by Arthur Cohen called "Circus at the Zoo" and was captured in 1950 in the St. Louis Zoo. Grab some popcorn because it's unlikely you've ever seen anything quite like this.
I found a slightly better version of similar video from that event which was shared by Reuters and British Pathé.
The concept of bringing a circus into a zoo where animals already exist is something I've never considered before. There has been quite a pushback in recent years from animal rights groups like PETA in regards to performing animals in a circus like this. While zoos are seen as conservation and education places, circuses are not. I can only imagine what the protesting would be like if a circus like this happened in our present day.
As it stands, it's one of the stranger moments in St. Louis Zoo history when a circus happened within their walls 72 years ago.
I do believe that I can officially say that I've seen absolutely everything.