Elephants of Columbia

The Parque Zoológico de Santa Fe announced earlier this year the death of their 73 year old female Asian elephant, Lady, due to complications of old age.

"Zoologico Santa Fe (Elefante)"
Courtesy of Kmilocg, Panoramio.com

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 - Israel

A February 1977 issue of The Circus Report announces the birth of an Israeli elephant, inadvertently creating the topic of a curious mystery for an elephant historian 35 years later.

Circus Report, 6th year No 6, Page 9, 02/07/1977
Courtesy of CircusHistory.org

Dierenpark Emmen Birth

Originally posted 05/22/2012
Updated 06/12/2012

Last February, ShowMe Elephants discussed the birth of a male calf at the Emmen Zoo, sired by breeding bull Radza and fourth for the thirty year old Burmese cow Htoo Yin Aye.

>> "Emmen Zoo Birth," ShowMe Elephants, 02/09/2011

Today it has been announced another male calf has been born for the Netherlands breeding group, the seventh for 31 year old Burmese cow Htoo Kin Aye.

Newborn male calf, Dierenpark Emmen, May 2012.
Photo Courtesy of Dierenpark Emmen / Elly Bouwens

St. Louis Zoo - Eleanor

The story starts in 1955, with eight elephants imported by Louis Goebel and purchased by Anheuser Busch for the St. Louis Zoo. The new animals were to be trained by Floyd Smith and presented to the public in daily shows, a testament to the Polack act trained by Mac MacDonald. Within five years, three of the group were sold. The first, Eleanor, was sold to the Weed Park Zoo in Muscatine, Iowa, in September 1959.

OpLink - History review (original record card / ks)
0/8 purchased from Louis Goebel Wild Animal Farm ($3,500 ea. price plus insurance, $28,000 total) with funds donated by Anheuser-Busch Charitable Trust. 0/4 arrived at Goebel in May 1954 and another 0/4 in October 1954, where they remained for training by Zoo elephant trainer, Floyd Smith, until being trucked to the Zoo by Anheuser-Busch.

Postcard 4, St Louis Zoo
Postcard Courtesy of S Hoss

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

Point Defiance Zoo I

The Port Defiance Zoo describes themselves as a "national leader in handling elephants considered too dangerous to be kept and trained using traditional methods." They acquired Hanako in December 1997 from the Portland Zoo because of her "unpredictable and moody" disposition. There she joined Suki and Cindy. Suki had arrived in March 1996 from Dickerson Park Zoo after she slammed a keeper against a wall. Cindy was the zoo's first "troubled" elephant, arriving in February 1992 with a history of grabbing and biting people. In August 2005, Bamboo arrived from the Woodland Park Zoo after being unable to cohabitate with the younger elephants and calf. However, she was unable to be integrated into the group and was returned to her previous home ten months later.

Cindy
Cindy was first imported to the Port Defiance Zoo in 1964 at three years old. The 18 year old elephant was transferred in December 1982 to the San Diego to be bred with the Wild Animal Park's bull elephant, Ranchipur. After attacking a keeper at the park in 1989 she was temporarily relocated to the Portland Zoo before she could reg ressto Washington. Upon her return in 1992, the Tacoma zoo had built a $2.3 million new elephant barn and habitat. They also established a protected contact management program to accommodate her.

Following her death in November 2002, controversy surrounded the disposal of the 40 old elephant after she was buried at a local landfill rather than cremating the 8000 pound animal as planned. In February 2003, the Point Defiance rededicated the elephant barn in her memory.

Hanako
Hanako was the fourth elephant born at Washington Park Zoo, nine days after her half-brother Dino. Breeding bull Thonglaw sired the first calf for dam Tuy Hoa.

By the time she was 19, Hanako had given birth to four calves, though only Sabu lived longer than two months. She spent the first 34 years of her life at the zoo where she was born, sans a 16 month breeding loan to the Los Angeles Zoo with half-sister Me-Tu. Both elephants were bred by their half-brother Packy (all three elephants sired by Thonglaw). Two months before their return, Me-Tu gave birth. One month after their return, Hanako gave birth to a calf as well.

Hanako at the Portland Zoo, August 1994
Photo Courtesy of M Easley

Records
Cindy, Female Asian, SB 212
1962 - Birth, India
~1964 - Point Defiance Zoo, Tacoma, Washington
15 Dec 1982 - San Diego Wild Animal Park, Escondido, California
28 Nov 1989 - Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
19 Feb 1992 - Point Defiance Zoo, Tacoma, Washington
19 Nov 2002 - Death, Point Defiance Zoo, Tacoma, Washington

Hanako, Female Asian, SB 51
24 Sep 1963 - Birth, Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
28 Oct 1974 - Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, California
11 Feb 1976 - Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
09 Dec 1997 - Point Defiance Zoo, Tacoma, Washington

For Additional Information:
>> "Dangerous Elephant To Get Bigger Quarters," Elephant-News.com, 11/25/1982

>> "Popular Elephant's Carcass Dumped With The Garbage," KomoNews.com, 11/26/2002

>> "Zoo to rededicate elephant barn in Cindy’s memory," PDZA.org, 02/11/2003

>> "Defiant attitude better suited for Pt. Defiance," SeattleTimes.nwsource.com, 08/12/2005

>> "Elephants of the Point Defiance Zoo" at ZooChat

(To Be Continued...)

Lowry Park Zoo 1992

The following photographs were taken in summer 1992 at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. At the time, the facility exhibited two female Asian elephants, Tillie and Minyak.

Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, Florida 1992
Photo © M Easley

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

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

De Olmense Zoo

From Peter Stolk, 05/14/2012:

De Olmense Zoo in Belgium again has elephants, two females!

"2012 - Olifanten Jenny en Kariba houden koffieklets"
Courtesy of De Olmsense Zoo on Facebook

The National Elephant Center

From Jeff Bolling / "Elephant Managers Association" on Facebook:

"Call to action!

Go to the site and vote for TNEC to open in Fellsmere! Then contact your friends to do the same...officials are watching this poll."

>> http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/07/elephant-center-shifts-north-to-fellsmere-from/?partner=popular

St. Louis Zoo - Kinzi

"IT'S A GIRL! Meet our brand new bundle of joy. An Asian elephant was born today, June 24, at 1:13 p.m. Mother and baby are bonding very well, but are not yet on public display. The height and weight of the calf are not yet confirmed. We will announce a baby naming poll at a later date. More info: http://ow.ly/5pVW7 Photo by Keeper Katie Pilgram." //St. Louis Zoo on Facebook

Dallas Zoo - Stumpy

The Dallas Zoo announced the death of one of the five oldest African elephants in the country, 47 year old Stumpy. Stumpy arrived with companion Mama in 2010 for the Dallas Zoo's new Giants of the Savannah exhibit.

Stumpy and Mama, Dallas Zoo
Courtesy of The Dallas Zoo on Facebook

Bill Prickett Collection - Allan C. Hill's Great American Circus

"Irene" and Mike Rice, Pekin, IL, 4-24-94"
Courtesy of B Prickett

Sedgwick County Zoo

Stephanie and Cinda were imported together from South Africa to Michigan in August 1972. They were then sold the next month to the Sedgwick County Zoo where they still reside together. The elephants are managed in free contact.

In February 2010, the Sedgwick County Zoo announced they would be building an eight foot tall cable and post fence to protect their two aging elephants from falling into the moat surrounding the 19,000 square foot exhibit yard. Both elephants were approaching forty years of age. The plans to build an improved and larger facility were postponed due to economic problems.

Cinda and Stephanie, mid-1970s.
Photo Courtesy of Friends of Stephanie and Cinda on Facebook

Cinda and Stephanie, mid-1970s.
Photo Courtesy of Friends of Stephanie and Cinda on Facebook

Cinda and Stephanie, July 1994.
Photo Courtesy of M Easley

"Stephanie, although the smaller of the two, has always been the dominant elephant. She is generally the first to enter or leave the outdoor yard and gets first choice of food. Stephanie seems to respond to tactile praise more than food rewards. Stephanie's favorite food item seems to be carrots as she will occasionally leave bananas, oranges and white potatoes behind. She also seems to enjoy walking backwards." //SCZ.org

Stephanie, September 2008.
Photo Courtesy of J Sentel

"Cinda is taller than Stephanie but has always been the submissive elephant of the two. She generally follows Stephanie when the elephants are called, allowing Stephanie to survey different situations first. Cinda enjoys food rewards and almost seems to rush through training so she can eat. Cinda spends more time than Stephanie using the exhibit pool and toys. Cinda doesn't really have any favorite food items as she enjoys eating everything." //SCZ.org

Cinda, September 2008.
Photo Courtesy of J Sentel

Records
Cinda (Cynda, Mzuri), Female African, SB 117
1971 - Birth, South Africa
Aug 1972 - International Animal Exchange, Ferndale, Michigan
03 Sep 1972 - Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas

Stephanie, Female African, SB 118
1971 - Birth, South Africa
Aug 1972 - International Animal Exchange, Ferndale, Michigan
03 Sep 1972 - Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas

Additional Information
Sedgwick County Zoo Official Website:
>> http://www.scz.org/

Friends of Stephanie and Cinda on Facebook:
>> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Stephanie-and-Cinda/117717444918185

"Zoo adding safety barrier to protect aging elephants," 02/12/2010
>> http://www.kansas.com/2010/02/12/1177596/adding-safety-barrier-to-protect.html

"Sedgwick County Zoo considers new elephant exhibit," 03/20/2010
>> http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/20/1233715/rights-group-may-target-county.html

Update 05/07/2012
Jackson Byrd recently posted an analysis of two Kansas zoos, Sedgwick County and Topeka, in relation to the changes necessary the two facilities need to make to meet compliance with standards of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. His post can be found at his site 'Gorgeous in Gray.'

>> "Decisions, Decisions. Kansas has gotta make em’ (as well as the rest of the country)," GorgeousInGray.wordpress.com, 02/10/2012

Sedgwick County Zoo elephant herd
Photo Courtesy of gorgeousingray

Moolah Shrine Circus 1990?

An assortment of photos of circuses performing in St. Louis have been found in my father's collection. Unfortunately, most are unlabeled and they all are mixed up. An effort is underway to sort the photographs and identify the herds and handlers. St. Louis, Missouri, is the hometown of ShowMe Elephants. It has been fun identifying these sets.

Moolah Shrine Circus, St. Louis
Photo Courtesy of M Easley

Postcard Press - Toronto Zoo

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

Thursday, June 9, 2011
Toronto Zoo--Year Unknown
Posted by Wade G. Burck

Glen Oak Zoo - Dona

Found your site while researching this same subject for a Facebook group on Peoria. I have a postcard of a baby elephant standing with a trainer, the back of which is printed with the following:

"A recent addition here at Glen Oak
is Dona the Baby elephant
She's learning some tricks for her
very own show, a really outstanding event.
Glen Oak Park Zoo
Peoria, Illinois"

Kings Dominion

Kings Dominion, located in Doswell, Virginia, acquired six female African elephants around 1976. Three were purchased from Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach, Florida, while another three were imported directly from South Africa.