The opening of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden sounds like a goofy family comedy, but it quickly became one of the most popular attractions in Ohio. Opening day, September 18, 1875, was overcast and chilly, a shaky start for the second zoological garden in the United States. Exhibits were unfinished, and animals remained crated. The polar bear had not arrived, and the collection on display included a feeble tiger, a blind hyena, an elephant rescued from a bankrupt circus, a talking crow, eight small monkeys, and 400 birds. Despite the rough start, the venture by bird-lover Andrew Erkenbrecher and friends blossomed into a top-tier zoo inspiring a passion for nature-a champion of endangered species with its own college-preparatory high school and an unrivaled commitment to education, research, and innovative breeding programs. It has survived Damocles' sword of economic cuts as stubborn Cincinnatians came to its rescue time after time, charmed by the animals and events found here: chimps Mr. and Mrs. Rooney, Susie the Gorilla who took tea and smoked Chesterfields, Rodney the boxing kangaroo, Martha the last passenger pigeon on earth, outdoor operas, and dancing under the stars.

Indexes the world's zoological and animal science literature, covering all research from biochemistry to veterinary medicine. The database provides a collection of references from over 4,500 international serial publications, plus books, meetings, reviews and other no- serial literature from over 100 countries. It is the oldest continuing database of animal biology, indexing literature published from 1864 to the present. Zoological Record has long been recognized as the "unofficial register" for taxonomy and systematics, but other topics in animal biology are also covered.