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Quotation

"A zoo without animals equaled a waste of land to the Nazis, who decided to build a fur farm on the [Warsaw Zoo] grounds. Not only would the fur warm German soldiers fighting on the eastern front, ... extras could be sold to help finance the war. For efficiency they put an elderly bachelor Pole in charge of it [who was] used to living alone with fur farm animals. ... By far the most eccentric human in the [zoo's staff house], "Fox Man" arrived with a female cat, Balbina ... every time Balbina had kittens, Fox Man would snatch them from the basket and replace them with newborn foxes for her to nurse. ... According to breeders, a female fox should only nurse a few pups at one time, to ensure all grow thick, healathy coats; using Balbina as a wet nurse for the extra pups struck [Fox Man] as an ideal if somewhat impish solution." (p. 190-191)