Quebec Canada-1952: Pelican Resting at Zoo

Archive Intelligence

Archive brief fit

Covers a 1952 Quebec zoo visit on 8mm — useful for mid-century Canadian wildlife or zoo documentary sequences and nature history segments.

Period detail

Three frames show a dense sunlit zoo enclosure with tall trees and a stone barrier; the final frame reveals a pelican resting on concrete, consistent with mid-century zoo design.

Home-movie behavior

An amateur zoo visitor's spontaneous close-up of a pelican at rest, capturing the casual wonder typical of mid-century public wildlife encounters.

What appears in frame

Tall leafy trees in a zoo enclosure, dappled natural light, a stone or concrete barrier, a large brown pelican with a long bill and throat pouch, and scattered leaf litter on concrete ground.

Film character

8mm stock renders deep green foliage with cyan-shifted shadows and warm midtones on the pelican; natural grain and mild contrast compression give the footage authentic mid-century texture.

Edit role

Works as a cutaway insert within a wildlife or zoo history sequence, or as a period establishing detail in a documentary about mid-century Canadian public life.

Historical context

Public zoos in 1950s Canada were popular leisure destinations; pelicans were common exhibits, and this informal close-up reflects the casual visitor access typical of the era.

Research note

No people are visible; no identifiable signage or logos are apparent in the frames. The zoo facility may be identifiable — verify if a property release is required for commercial use.

Research search match

Researchers may search for 1950s Canada zoo footage, vintage pelican film, mid-century wildlife enclosure, or 8mm animal documentary Canada.

Archive pairing path

Pair first with other clips from the same Quebec 1952 reel, then other 1950s Canadian zoo footage, then mid-century wildlife or nature enclosure clips.