Colchester Zoo - Moto and Toto

IN THE 70S IN SOUTH ENGLAND I HAD THE JOB OF PICKING UP TWO FULL GROWN ELEPHANTS UP, CALLED MOTO AND TOTO FROM COLCHESTER ZOO ? NORTH ENGLAND, AND I HAD TO TAKE THEM BACK TO THE ZOO IN MARGATE KENT, WHO HAD PURCHASED THEM, ANY REFERENCE TO THIS PAIR OF ELEPHANTS. //X CHIPPERFIELDS ELEPHANT KEEPER, PETER

From "The Colchester Express," 1967
Courtesy of Gorotex / ZooChat.com

Zurich Zoo - Maxi

There is a long discussion currently occurring regarding a ShowMe Elephants article from several days past regarding Moto and Toto, two former Colchester Zoo / Dreamland's Safari Wild Animal Park elephants. Recent input has discovered a likely probability that the male Moto is in fact the Zurich Zoo's current breeding bull Maxi. Toto's current location was discovered to be the Toto of the Warsaw Zoo. More information and confirmation for these discoveries is sought.

>> "Safari Zoo - Moto and Toto" at ShowMe Elephants, 09/16/2011

Zurich Zoo, Maxi, 2010
Courtesy of Elefanten-Fotolexikon.eu

Brian Kohler Collection - Knoxville Zoo

The following photographs were taken at the Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee in September 1994. They are courtesy of Brian Kohler who graciously shares his collection of elephant history with ShowMe Elephants. At the time, the zoo's herd of African elephants was reduced to four elephants from the herd of six featured in yesterday's photo series from 1994. Still residing at the zoo were 17 year old bull Tonka and females 32 year old Mamie, 26 year old Robin and 23 year old Petunia.

"Knoxville Zoo 1996"
Courtesy of B Kohler

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.

The Father's Photographs - Knoxville Zoo

The following photographs were taken at the Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee in September 1994. At the time, the zoo's herd of African elephants consisted of 15 year old bull Tonka and females 32 year old Toto, 31 year old Mamie, 24 year old Robin, 21 year old Petunia and 16 year old Little Diamond. Tonka still resides at the zoo to this day.

Photo 1, Knoxville Zoo, September 1994
Courtesy of M Easley