The Zoo's first camel birth occurred in 1924, a male named Sheik. The year before, Dr. Harry had convinced the local Shriners chapter to fund the purchase of two camels for the Zoo. He went to several of their meetings with his proposal, but they kept deferring a decision. Finally, at one meeting he began stamping his feet and pounding rhythmically on the table, chanting: "We want cam-els, we want cam-els!" The Shriners were surprised—and then they began to join in. They had a good laugh, and in the end agreed to Dr. Harry's proposal, so the Zoo got its camels.