Elephantastic! A Century of Pachydermic Pageantry

Clocking in at just under two full hours, this magnificent collection of all things pachyderm contains 28 different elephant acts (some partial and many complete), in addition to several additional accompanying vignettes filmed on various shows around the world. Among those featured in performance are trainers DANIEL SUSKOV working the Tarzan Zerbini elephants (1990) - OSCAR and MARIAN CRISTIANI, filmed in 1969 on Rudy Bros. Circus, in Honolulu - CHICO WILLIAMS and DELILAH WOODCOCK with “TOTO” the elephant, as captured on New York’s famous Big Apple Circus (1984) - KAYE'S HOLLYWOOD ELEPHANTS with Judy Kaye, also shot in Hawaii with the E.K. Fernandez Circus - BOBBY and ROSA GIBBS at Baraboo’s Circus World Museum in the mid-1970's - JEAN SCHMITT with the Ringling Barnum Circus World herd (Orlando, FL) - PHIL and FRANCINE SCACHT with “DONDI” from a Chicagoland TV special (1986); REX and AVA WILLIAMS with the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. elephants on the 1967 TV show, "Coliseum" - BUCKLES and BARBARA WOODCOCK working the RBBB herd in 1978 - JENDE SMAHA with “Bertha” and “Tina” from a rare Hollywood Palace kinescope, and several others.

A number of global offerings are included, as well, such as KENNY BENNEWEIS and Denmark’s renowned Circus Benneweis elephants (1992) – the CEASAR TOGNI elephants, from a 1960's episode of Don Ameche's "Int'l Showtime" - MARY CHIPPERFIELD working a single elephant with a canine sidekick - BOBBY ROBERTS and the Robert Bros. Circus elephants from England, and so on.

An extreme rarity, also featured in this already top-heavy program, is a wonderful piece of vintage 16mm film showing MACK and PEGGY MacDONALD training the legendary Polack Bros. Circus “Beasalou Elephants” at their home, in San Antonio, Texas, in 1963. No spangles or make-up here: just fascinating, intimate footage never before seen, shot nearly fifty years ago. There is even a short clip of Mack and Peggy working with TOMMY HANNEFORD and baby “INA,” also in Texas.

ELEPHANTASTIC! is a compilation of privately shot 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm films, some of which date way back (i.e: a 1908 film of "Jumbo" the elephant, working on a vaudeville stage in Chicago), videotapes, and vintage television appearances from the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. Never before has there been such a comprehensive collection of outstanding, one-of-a-kind elephant footage offered! Break out the peanuts, sit back, and wrap yourself up in trunk-loads of tantalizing tricks!


This new compilation produced by Timothy N Tegge can be ordered online at CircusTimeVideo.com for $19.95. A check or money order may also be sent to P.O. Box 661 - Baraboo, WI 53913. Make them out to either Circus Time video or Timothy Tegge. If you cannot see this for sale on the site yet, check back! This is a brand new release and should be available for viewing by Monday, December 13.

Additional information can also be found at Elephant-News.com and Buckles Web Log.

Jardin Zoologico Nacional de Chile

Santiago Zoo, 2010. The upgraded elephant enclosure can be seen at the left.
Photo Courtesy of ThisIsChile.com

Elephant.se previously only displayed two unknown female African elephants at the Jardin Zoologico Nacional de Chile, or the Chile National Zoo in Santiago.

With research performed by ShowMe Elephants, the database has now been updated with more information regarding the zoo's pair of African elephants, Jumbo and Protea. Two past elephants residing at the zoo also have been identified. More details regarding these four animals' history are still sought.

Jumbo and Protea arrived together to Chile in January 1996 as gifts from the government of South Africa. They replaced the zoo's first elephant Fresia. Fresia was acquired from the Rio de Janeiro Zoo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1940. The Asian elephant died 51 years later in May 1991 of a heart attack; efforts to raise her to her feet were unsuccessful.

An African elephant (name, sex and origin unknown) succumbed in the 1990s after several surgeries performed to remove trash and other debris from its stomach.

It is interesting to note the Santiago Zoo's official website gives the wrong classifcation information for the African elephant. It is listed as Order Artiodactyla and Family Hippopotamidae, rather than Order Proboscidea and Family Elephantidea.

Protea and Jumbo of the Santiago Zoo
Photo Courtesy of Zoologico.cl

For Additional Information
>> "Elefanta Fresia," YouTube.com

>> "Chile Zoo Seen as Unfit for Man or Beast," NYTimes.com, 06/23/1996

>> "Elephant discovers the pitfalls of mating," DeseretNews.com, 09/17/1997

>> "Untamed and Uncut: Electrified Elephant," Animal Planet on YouTube

>> "Chile´s National Zoo still growing after 85 years of history," ThisIsChile.cl, 2010

Records at Elephant.se
>> Fresia at Elephant.se

>> Jumbo at Elephant.se

>> Protea at Elephant.se

>> Unknown at Elephant.se

Update 05/03/2011
"On Showmeelephants, Radar ponders who was responsible for listing the African Elephants on the Santiago Zoo's official web site as Order Artiodactyla and Family Hippopotamidae, rather than Order Proboscidea and Family Elephantidea. I am not sure but probably the same person who decided that "mint" was a more natural color for the horrid elephant building then the mud brown color(they need to dump a pile of rubble on top of it, ala Brookfield.) Probably also the same person who said, "let's try to think of a new, never before used elephant name this time. I know, how about Jumbo?" //Wade Burck

Photos of the elephants and exhibit are also available at the following link.

>> "For Radar--Jumbo and Protea, National Zoo, Santiago Chile," Circus No-Spin Zone, 05/03/2011

Thousand Oaks - Sheba

Bandwagon magazine's Elephant Census, published in the March/April 1960 edition, lists a female Asian elephant "Sheba" at Auction City, Norwalk, California from 1952 to present. Sheba is listed acquired from Louis Goebel in Thousand Oaks, California.

Courtesy of dyingindowney on Flickr

Wildlife Safari imports 1979

Wildlife Safari's Spring Newsletter discusses the arrival of African elephants to the Oregon drive-through in the 1970s.

With gratitude to Jesse Golden for sharing, "Wild Times," the newsletter for members of the Wildlife Safari, discusses the beginnings of said park thanks to naturalist and businessman Frank Hart.

In 1972 Frank was able to convince his employer, Walker and Lee, to develop 600 acres in Winston, Oregon. The site was ideal for a large reserve that could display animals from around the world in a natural setting. With rolling hills abundant in foliage and water resources closely resembling African and Asian terrain, a large variety of animal life could be supported. Wildlife Safari opened the next year.
http://www.wildlifesafari.net/cur/documents/Spring2012final4-6-12.pdf

Courtesy of Wild Times, Spring 2013

America's Elephants by Bob Cline

From The Circus World LLC:

The new book by Bob Cline is a complete and factual understanding of these magnificent animals that lumber across this great land of ours. The Circus has been blessed to have the mighty titans aboard as they promoted and performed to the delight of throngs of people every day.

The book covers all aspects of the elephants in America from the first arrivals over two hundred years ago, to what kind of elephant is it, what do they eat, Zoos, retirement, Breeding of an endangered species, the sacred White Elephants, the amazing people who have cared for them, some of the most famous elephants, Jumbo, and the tragedies that have befell them.

The book contains 133 pages and utilizes over 50,000 words. The book also provides many Black and White Photos, Color Photos, Newspaper ads and full color posters.

The book will be offered right here for your historical and entertainment delight as an online e-Book only. Available for immediate download.

$1.00 of each purchase is donated to the OABA Animal Fund!( At the completion of your payment, you will see a return to the Circus World LLC bar. This takes you to the book.)

You may click the link at the top of the page or the picture below to order Mr. Cline's book 'America's Elephants.'

Nehru Zoological Park

In 2009, the Central Zoo Authority of India decreed that all zoo and circus elephants were required to be transferred to national parks, sanctuaries, rehabilitation camps, tiger reserves and forest areas, stating that the free-ranging animals’ needs cannot be met in zoos.

A March 2011 news article announced the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad may be allowed to keep their elephants, pending an inspection requested to the Central Zoo Authority. The article stated the Nehru Zoo owns five elephants, including "the female elephant Rajni that is owned by the Nizam's Trust." The previous year, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests advised the State government in May 2010 not to return Rajni to her proper owner but rather let her remain at the zoo. The Nehru Zoo is one of the largest of its kind in India.

Elephant.se has a list of eight elephants at the location, including two males. This is incorrect if referencing the the news articles from 2010 and 2011. More information is sought regarding the Hyderabad zoo's elephant collection.


For Additional Information:
>> "Jumbo problem for Nizam’s Trust," IndiaTimes.com, 01/08/2010

>> "Rajini to stay put in Nehru Zoo," Hindu.com, 05/25/2010

>> "Jumbos unlikely be relocated from city zoo," IndiaTimes.com, 03/21/2011

>> Nehru Zoological Park at Elephant.se

>> Elephants of the Nehru Zoological Park at ZooChat.com