Candy Hitchcock Collection - Dixie

Ms. Hitchcock has graciously shared rare insight into the beginnings of the elephant program of Zoo Miami (or the Crandon Park Zoo, as it was originally known prior to relocation).

Dixie was the zoo's first elephant and about 20 when I knew her. I used to walk her out to the shade area behind the elephant barn and scratch her back with a rake. She had a huge rubber tire she carried around and we called it her 'baby'. Sadly, she developed arthritis in her front foot/leg from all the years walking on the concrete floor of the barn and was operated on. The surgery was a success but she later died of pneumonia. //Candy Hitchcock

"Hi Ryan, Here is a picture of me with Dixie. I am holding here ‘baby’. Candy"
Courtesy of C Hitchcock

Studbook Mysteries - Tote-Em-In Zoo

A mystery elephant has been discovered in the annals of the Billboard magazine archives, the Tote-Em-In Zoo's successor to Bertha, the Nugget Casino's famed elephant who spent 37 years at the Las Vegas entertainment venue until her death in 1999.

Candy Hitchcock Collection - Dahlip

Hi Ryan,
This is Dahlip and me. He was about 6 years old then. I have a really wonderful photo of Dixie and me which I will scan and send. I’ll dig around to see if I can find any others.

"I worked as an assistant to Bill Doss, the elephant trainer at the Crandon Park Zoo in 1974-75. I took care of 3 elephants. Seetna and Dahlip were a young pair that had been imported from India. Dixie was the zoo's first elephant and about 20 when I knew her."
Courtesy of C Hitchcock