Franklin Park Zoo - Beba / Mary, Part II

The story of Beba was unfolded with the purchase of numerous local news articles from the Boston area between 1948 to 1960.
>> www.showmeelephants.com/2011/06/franklin-park-zoo-beba.html

Courtesy of Daily Boston Globe 07/1948

Tom Packs Elephants

The Tom Packs Elephants were considered the best trained elephant act of its time. Trained by elephant master Mac MacDonald, they represented the epitome of class and skill throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s. Originally trained as a group of five elephants for the Tom Packs Circus, four of the animals represent part of a larger group imported together in 1948. Another was added during the training period; several years later an elephant was replaced for medical reasons. The focus here is on the Tom Packs group, but will address in some detail their original shipmates as well.

Studbook Mysteries - Firma Ruhe I

The large animal trade company Firma Ruhe was founded in Germany by Ludwig (Louie) Ruhe in 1880. After a large increase in business following Carl Hagenbeck's construction of a new zoo, Ruhe would go on to expand with three generations of his family operating animal trading posts worldwide. Offices in London and the Ruhe Animal Farm in New York helped to supply hundreds of elephants to zoos and circuses in Europe and America.

This location is listed in the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant simply as 'L RUHE.' The address is described in Alfeld/leine, Germany. There is no differentiation between the three offices of Ruhe, possibly leading to confusion and inaccuracies regarding elephant locations.

One source names the New York location as Louis Ruhe Wild Animal Farm in Woodside, Long Island.

Mary and Mona
There are several lapses of information in the North American Regional Studbook regarding Mary and Mona, but it is apparent the pair of female Asian elephants resided together from birth in the early 1940s until their deaths in 1975.

Born in Sri Lanka between 1941-1942, Mary and Mona arrived together to the Detroit Zoo in July 1947. They resided at the zoo in Michigan for an unknown period of time before the Studbook states they were transferred to the animal trade company Firma Ruhe in Germany. However, the company operated two local offices, one in London and a second in New York, where the animals may have been transported as opposed to overseas.

In October 1974, 27 years after arriving in Detroit, the pair of elephants arrived again at a location in Michigan - King Animaland Park in Richmond. This park, operated by circus owner Walt King, covered 40 acres and held animals and amusements in springtime that King leased out to shows for the fall and winter. The Studbook states Mary and Mona resided at the park located north of Detroit until their deaths the following year, approximately seven months later.

Mary and Mona at the Detroit Zoo - Zoo Guide 1940s
Photo Courtesy of AsianElephant.net

Penny
A female Asian elephant born in Burma in 1938, Penny was imported to the Fort Worth Zoo in August 1940. For an unknown period of time, the animal resided at the zoo in Texas until the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant states she was transferred to Firma Ruhe. The documentation never gives an arrival back to Fort Worth, but lists the 23 year old elephant’s death at her premier institution in August 1961.

According to a news article published in 2009 commemorating the Fort Worth Zoo’s 100 year anniversary, Penny was purchased as a second elephant through money collected as donations from zoo visitors.

Records
Mary, Asian Female, SB 577
1941 - Birth, Sri Lanka
24 Jul 1947 - Detroit Zoo (Belle Isle), Belle Isle, Michigan
??? - L RUHE
22 Oct 1974 - King Animaland Park, Richmond, Michigan
~Apr 1975 - Death, King Animaland Park, Richmond, Michigan

Mona, Asian Female, SB 578
1941 - Birth, Sri Lanka
24 Jul 1947 - Detroit Zoo (Belle Isle), Belle Isle, Michigan
??? - L RUHE
22 Oct 1974 - King Animaland Park, Richmond, Michigan
~Apr 1975 - Death, King Animaland Park, Richmond, Michigan

Penny, Asian Female, SB 574
~Apr 1938 - Birth, Burma
14 Aug 1940 - Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas
??? - L RUHE
12 Aug 1961 - Death, Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas

For Additional Information
>> Firma Ruhe (Tierhandelsfirma Ruhe) at Elephant.se

>> "The Animals and Their Trainers," Geostan.ca

>> "Bring 'Em Back Alive," Time.com, 03/25/1946

>> "King's Animaland Park," Circus Report, CircusHistory.org, 02/23/1976

>> "Fort Worth Zoo celebrates 100 years of wild history," WorldZooToday.com, 08/10/2009

>> "Elephants of the Detroit Zoo" at ZooChat

>> "Elephants of King Animaland Park" at ZooChat

>> "Elephants of the Fort Worth Zoo" at ZooChat

UPDATED 04/18/2011, "Studbook Mysteries - Belle Isle Zoo" at ShowMe Elephants

Jim Stockley Collection - Chipperfields 1975

This photograph is related to research of the June 2011 ShowMe Elephants post, "Jim Stockley Collection - Chipperfields 1956." The post has garnered over 70 comments relating to the 1947/1948 import of elephants from Ceylon by the Chipperfield circus family, what became of these elephants and the eight elephants sold to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for their 1963/1964 European Tour.

>> "Jim Stockley Collection - Chipperfields 1956," ShowMe Elephants, 06/12/2011

"All 11 elephants doing a long mount in 1975?
Mary, Leila, Sally, Camella, Lechme, Meena, Sophie, Lisa, Manju, Mohini, Minoti.
Uncle John L Chipperfield and Alex Story at the head of Mary, cousin Tommy Chipperfield helping to straighten out Camella."
Courtesy of Jim Stockley

Jim Stockley Collection - Chipperfields 1956

"Clonmel railway station, Co.Tipperary 1956 -
The 12 Chipperfield elephants leave the station with Doreen Duggan leading Mary elephant. John L Chipperfield is mid-way down the line and Dick Chipperfield bringing up the rear. The show went to Ireland with 15 elephants and sold Jimmy, Blackie and Monica (two males and a female) to Fossett's Circus. Later, eight of these twelve would go with Hugo Schmidt to Ringlings in America." //Jim Stockley

Chipperfield elephants, 1956
Courtesy of J Stockley

Studbook Mysteries - Belle Isle Zoo

This article is an update to "Studbook Mysteries - Firma Ruhe I," posted on February 23, 2011 regarding Detroit elephants Mary and Mona.
>> "Studbook Mysteries - Firma Ruhe I" at ShowMe Elephants

History
The Detroit Zoological Society was founded in 1911, 28 years after the first zoo in Detroit began based on a bankrupt circus. Their first zoo opened 17 years later in 1928. This institution was located on Belle Isle on the Detroit River. Through several name and purpose changes, it permanently closed in 2004. According to the Detroit Zoo, it was the Motor City's only zoo until 1947, upon which time it was converted to a Children's Zoo and its replacement was built in Royal Oak, a suburb of the largest city in Michigan. During this transition, the majority of the wild animals were moved to the secondary location, though some elephants and giraffes were reported to have remained. It is unknown which elephants resided at which location during the several decade period that both locations kept animals. Other sources state the zoo was transferred in 1956, prompting the transition of Belle Isle to a Children's Zoo.

"Belle Isle was Detroit's first zoo, a menagerie. In the modern era it was an aquarium and children's zoo. I believe it was managed by the Detroit Zoo. Probably had baby elephants at Belle Isle and moved them to the Zoo in Royal Oak as they grew up if they didn't get moved elsewhere sooner." //Jim Alexander

Studbook Entry
The North American Regional Studbook only lists a single elephant residing at Belle Isle, a male named Johnny with a Temporary Studbook Number, Lost to Follow-up and little information provided. All other Detroit-located elephants are listed as the Detroit Zoo with no differentiation made between Royal Oak or Belle Isle.

Former elephant house in the 1940s
Photo Courtesy of AsianElephant.net

Mary and Mona
Mary and Mona, two elephants mentioned previously in the Firma Ruhe Studbook Mysteries article, arrived at the Belle Isle Detroit Zoo in July 1947. It is unknown when they were relocated to Ruhe, thus also unknown whether they were in Detroit's ownership during the 1956 zoo relocation.

Suki
According to information provided by Jim Alexander and Wade Burck, the young female Asian elephant Suki was only located at the Belle Isle Children's Zoo before she was sold to private owners Paul and Dorothy Kelly in 1969. This is one confirmed needed correction for studbook records, in addition to Mary and Mona's arrival to the Belle Isle-located Detroit Zoo in 1947, rather than the Royal Oak location. This discovery is referenced on Wade Burck's "Circus No-Spin Zone."
>> "Ghost Zoo - Belle Isle Zoo Elephant (1)," Circus No-Spin Zone, 04/04/2011
>> "Ghost Zoo - Belle Isle Zoo Elephant (2)," Circus No-Spin Zone, 04/04/2011

Suki now resides at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.
>> "Point Defiance Zoo I" at ShowMe Elephants

Mystery Elephant Photo
A mystery photo has been found in the Detroit News collection. It is only titled "Belle Isle Children's Zoo;" the date and elephant's identity are unknown.

Mystery Elephant Photo - Belle Isle Zoo
Photo Courtesy of dlxs.lib.wayne.edu

Records
Johnny, Asian Male, SB T2196
1941 - Birth, Asia
~1942 - Detroit Zoo (Belle Isle), Belle Isle, Michigan
- Lost to Follow-Up

For Additional Information
>> "Detroit Zoo (Belle Isle) / Belle Isle Children's Zoo" at Elephant.se

>> "Belle Isle Zoo" at AsianElephant.net

>> "Belle Isle Zoo" at ZooChat.com

>> "Detroit Zoo Looks Back on 80 Years of History," Detroit Zoo.org, 07/23/2008

>> "Where the Wild Things Aren't," Sweet-Juniper.com, 01/25/2009

>> "Belle Isle Zoo" at DetroitFunk.com

Little Rock Zoo - New Arrivals

The Little Rock Zoo acquired yesterday two additional elephants from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus' Center for Elephant Conservation.

"Zina (front) and Jewel in their new Little Rock home"
Courtesy of ArkTimes.com

Artie

The following photo was taken by Wayne Jackson in Florida in 1990. The animal pictured is an African male owned by Gary Jacobson.

Highland Park Zoo - Part I

The Pittsburgh Zoo has a long history of housing and exhibiting Asian elephants prior to their currently successful African elephant breeding program. Unfortunately, very little of this history is recorded in the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant. Referencing archived news records of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and others, more insight can be found regarding the Highland Park Zoo's early elephant history.

St. Louis Zoo / Audubon Zoo

A fascinating news clip in an August 1977 Circus Report documents the transfer of two elephants from New Orlean's Audubon Park Zoo to the St. Louis Zoo.

Circus Report 08/22/1977, p. 13

A Word From Our Sponsors

New changes have been made to ShowMe Elephants for improvements and ease of usage.

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.

Jim Stockley Collection - Cleopatra

Jim Stockley of South Africa has been kind enough to share with ShowMe Elephants his collection of photographs documenting the Chipperfield Circus and family history with elephants.

The following photograph was taken in Rome in 1963 during the filming of the movie 'Cleopatra' with Elizabeth Taylor.

"Chipperfields after 1945 - Louise leading elephant "Mary" in Rome on the set of Cleopatra"
Courtesy of J Stockley

Stockley Trained Animal Consultants CC
>> http://www.stockley.co.za/

Jungleland Mystery Photograph

From Wade Burck's "Circus No-Spin Zone:"

Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Jungleland--Available for Purchase
1961 Sheba and Bamboo II standing, unknown elephant laying down.
Posted by Wade G. Burck

Radar said...
Is this the Bamboo owned by Morgan Berry before she was sold to Seattle in 1968? The studbook states she was born in 1966, so this would be unlikely. What is this animal's story?
Is this the Sheba owned by Wallace Brothers in 1961, later a Cristiani elephant before arriving at the Buffalo Zoo in 1984?

Wade said...
Radar,
A Brookfield Zoo staff member mentioned a week or so ago, that their record keeping was shoddy. On it's best day, in the past, a circus's record keeping would have been appreciated if it had been at least shoddy, as I am sure you have found out by now. A treat would have been somebody recording it on a napkin in the cook house. As it's stand's most of it is word of mouth ...
Bamboo I, Bamboo II, Bamboo III, Little Bamboo, Bamboo Jr. etc. etc., unless it's name was changed to Sparkle on the Hoot Bros. show for a year, before becoming Big Mable on the Toot Bros. show. That's how you develop the "elephant record book twitch." Your guess is as good as anybody's. LOL I don't know if you recall Mary Ann chastising me a couple of years ago on the blog, for being cold and heartless when I suggested the captive animal world had missed the boat by not assigning just a number to all animals from the time of capture birth, and only having a insignificant "barn name" for handling by keepers and trainers. Trainers could change it's name a dozen times over it's life, but it would still be #56932, with a name of no consequence,regardless of it's spelling or accented pronunciation, as is done now for the most part.
Wade

Another possibility for the 'Bamboo II' elephant is an elephant listed in the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant, 'Bimbo II.' With a Temporary Studbook Number and Lost to Follow-up, she is listed as arriving to Louis Goebel in February 1961, Jungleland in 1962 (a possible redundancy?) and finally to Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California, in October 1969.