Ringling Brothers - Charlie

Courtesy of "May All Your Days Be Circus Days" on Facebook:

Thursday, September 1, 2011
May All Your Days Be Circus Days
"The late Irvin Feld (1918-1984)was a conflicted and difficult man. I was there and worked for him. I know. But, he loved Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey with every fiber of his being. We lost him much too soon." //Jack Ryan

Bandoola (Inquiry for Book Enthusiasts)

'Bandoola' was written by J.H. Williams and published in 1952. Mr. Williams also wrote the classics 'Elephant Bill' and 'Big Charlie.' I remember reading Bandoola as a child and believe it was illustrated with heavy black line drawings of both wild and captive Asian elephants in their natural territory. Can anyone confirm if this is the book I recollect with these drawings? The drawings were strong but simple, many featuring large tuskers and females with calves.

African Elephants of Carson & Barnes Circus

The Carson and Barnes Circus, more famously known for its large herd of Asian elephants in the 1970s and 1980s, also featured numerous African elephants in their wild animal menagerie - 7 total it seems, acquired in three different groups.

Carson & Barnes Circus 1980s
Courtesy of B. Cline, Buckles Blog

Circus Vargas - 1974

The 1974 Circus Vargas herd featured a herd of nine ( including an African and a male ) in its second year of owning, rather than leasing, elephants.

Colonel, Koora and unknown w/ Wally Ross
Courtesy of Buckles Woodcock

Bodhi, Columbus Zoo

Bodhi was born in April 2004, the first successful birth at the Columbus Zoo. He was born to Coco and seventeen year old Phoebe, an elephant originally born at the Ramat Gan Zoo in Israel. He has resided at the Columbus Zoo his entire life and is managed in protected contact.

Phoebe and Bodhi, October 2008.
Photo Courtesy of the Columbus Zoo on Facebook

Family History
In May 1993, Charlie Gray imported the pregnant sisters Phoebe and Lilly together from Ramat Gan for the African Lion Safari in Cambridge, Canada. Six year old Phoebe miscarried the calf (sired by her father) in November 1993. Eight year old Lilly gave birth to her calf Piccolo in December 1994 (sired by her full brother Alexander).

In October 1999, Phoebe gave birth to her first successful calf George in Canada, sired by Calvin before his tranfer to Germany in March 2000.

In January 2002, Phoebe was transferred to the Columbus Zoo to build a breeding program. She bred soon after with the zoo's thirty one year old bull Coco and gave birth to Bodhi in April 2004. She bred again and gave birth to Beco in March 2009.

"Swim and Spray," Bodhi and Phoebe, July 2005.
Photo Courtesy of Michelle Leighty

"Bodhi demonstrating to a Canada goose what being a young bull is all about," July 2010.
Photo Courtesy of Harry Peachey

Records
Bodhi, Male Asian, SB 551
16 April 2004 - Birth at Columbus Zoo, Columbus, Ohio