Does anyone remember visiting the zoo at Sheikh Othman. I wonder if the place still exists. We had a number of picnics at the gardens before the political situation became a problem.

JPW

Email: n606jp@comcast.net, roffensian@comcast.net

Certainly do remember Sheikh Othman - not so much the zoo, but picnics, irrigation canals and ?banana trees. We have family film of one trip - can 'see'it but can't for the life of me remember which the other family was.

Also my mother did stints at the Sheikh Othman clinic with other mothers,providing nutritional care for the children.

Email: pennybenstead@gmail.com

Hi Jonathan
In all my time in Aden I never visited Sheikh Othman, I skirted it a few times in later years when the causeway was being widened, as for a zoo....never knew that one existed!!!
However if it was as shabby as the one near Bandar Mashur in what was then 'Persia' I can understand why my parents decided against a visit!!
Nevertheless my first car, my green Cortina....L254 was bought there by my Dad.......does anyone remember the cars driven by their Dads circa 1958 - 1967?

Helen Wells' dad drove a Mini Countryman, Peta Turners' a gold Vauxhall Velox, Chris Spraggs' parents drove a white Mercedes during our L. Aden school days and my dad drove mainly Opels.

Whilst talking of cars I was visited during my time as a young airman and living at home in Surrey street by what was evidently a well to do young Adenise guy who had a brand new Triumph Herald convertible in a pretty pale green, the car was awesome and I was somewhat green with envy!! Who he was I have no idea, however although appearing as a nice guy it was apparent that he was pretty aware of my movements and
as such I reported the incidents to the security forces and his visits stopped. Was he a local young lad just showing off his new car and knew of me through my Dads many local friends or was I being set up? Who knows..........

Email: rodwade@chelseachop.fsnet.co.uk

I do remember the Zoo at Sheikh Othman. Could not find it at last visit.

When one entered there was a huge circular pond with a raised sides. I trailed my hand in it and nearly had it snapped off by a giant turtle. There were two in it.

Further on there was a cage labelled PYTHON. I could see no Python so I rattled the bars with a stick. There was such a Hiss that I recoiled in fear. Then I saw the Python basking in the sun.

I have read somewhere that when one of the Civil Wars was on that all the animals were let loose. The Python roamed around for a while causing fear. Then I suppose vanished.

Email: don@snap.net.nz

Hi Roddy, Don,

Roddy perhaps the fellow with the new car just liked you and wanted to give you a ride !!
You certainly did not miss anything at the zoo. It was a sad place and the animals were not treated terribly well. I have an old cine film which shows a bear with a cigarette in it's mouth . It was posed by by the keeper for the visitors. I will have to convert the cine film over some time. Don.... this link is from the ITN archives. It seems the security forces had to look after the zoo occupants once. The python was reported as missing !!

http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//RTV/1967/08/12/BGY506210178/?s=Aden+zoo

Roddy... Our one and only car in Aden was a Mini. Blue coloured and the registration was L6159. Strange how you remember things. Never understood why my father bought the thing as we are a very large family. Julian and I would fight each other for leg room in the back.

Best wishes

Jonathan W

PS. Don are you still planning on visiting Aden this year?

Email: n606jp@comcast.net, roffensian@comcast.net

Don, you've stirred memories - now I can remember the pool with the turtles, also a HUGE tortoise wandering around!

Email: pennybenstead@gmail.com

Just uploaded the family's cine film of a day at the Zoo and the Sheikh Othman gardens. Here is the link.

http://www.bpadenkids.com/output3/zoo/Sheikh%20Othman%20Zoo%20and%20Gardens.html

The link can also be found in the Galleries page.

Apologies for my poor editing and the awful sound track. If you have any cine films, get them converted before the film breaks down. You do not want to lose these memories of the good times we had in Aden

Regards to all

Jonathan W

Email: n606jp@comcast.net, roffensian@comcast.net

hi friends
about Sheikh Othman Zoo and Gardens I am one of the family of alsalafi Sheikh Othman Zoo and Gardens he is my grand father u know the zoo it was first zoo in the gulf area it was the best and was nice for the visiters but after the Civil Wars was on that all the animals were let loose because my grand father he could not feeds the animals .we hope it will come time to make it again .i am more than 20 years not been in aden because life so difficult for humen been how will be for animals . next time i will try to tell u about the zoo in sheikh othman , Tariq alsalafi

Email: salafi_1@hotmail.com

Anyone remember the cub camps in the gardens? We used to meet up with a cub group from big Aden - I remember goiung twice. Great fun - lovely surroundings!

Email: alan.budd@martindales.biz

We only as a family once, Mum dad Elaine me andNigel. The animals did not look too happy. I think there was huge snake maybe a python / boa constrictor. We went to the Sheikh Othmans bottling plant at the same time and were given a tour, which was actually quite interesting to me.

Email: gordon-clark@blueyonder.co.uk

HI all
The zoo is no longer available .It finished in 1970s due to food shortage along with absence of goverment support to the zoo. I remeber my frequent visits with my brothers to there. I and all Shiekh othman population still remeber how the voice of lioans were strong and could reached all houses at shikothman in the midd night. I like brirish and aden from my hearth. I like to see old picures and videos about aden. I was happy when i found this web.

Email: WAW200993@YAHOO.COM