Petely

A series of photographs taken at the Los Angeles Zoo in California raised question to the identity of the elephant and its handler. Recent commentary by Darryl inform the trainer is Gary Jacobson, current elephant trainer for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus' Center for Elephant Conservation, with his former male Asian elephant Petely.

Los Angeles Zoo, c. 1980s
Courtesy of J Romo

Chester Zoo Birth & Death

The Chester Zoo celebrated the birth of a new female Asian elephant and mourned the death of the herd's matriarch within a three week period.

Newborn calf at the Chester Zoo, 02/2011
Photo Courtesy of ChesterZoo.org

Hoxie Brothers Circus - Bonnie and Jessie

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

Thursday, May 17, 2012
Unknown elephant 1952
54th Annual National Convention of Zeta Beta Tau, Jewish college fraternity Chicago which had a menagerie set up for guest's to enjoy. Could this elephant have been from the Hawthorn Mellody Zoo? Their elephant at the time was named Jessie.
Posted by Wade G. Burck

Highland Park Zoo - Rani

The Children's Zoo at Highland Park in Pittsburgh displayed a number of baby elephants, a custom most prevalent in zoos during the 1960s to 1970s. As worded by Toledo gossip columnist Don Wolfe, "the custom of trading in an automobile on a new model every few years has spread to elephants." The North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant does not list any of the in-and-out animals to populate the Children's Zoo but four animals have been found, all using the "recycled" name Rani.

Children's Zoo - Highland Park - Pittsburgh
Courtesy of delcampe.net

Circus Vargas - Dutchess

ShowMe Elephants recently discussed the beginnings of the Circus Vargas-owned elephant herd under owner Cliff Vargas and elephant trainer Wally Ross.

The 1974 Circus Vargas herd featured a herd of nine ( including an African and a male ) in its second year of owning, rather than leasing, elephants.

Colonel, Koora and unknown w/ Wally Ross
Courtesy of Buckles Woodcock

The first five elephants, acquired in 1973, were acquired from Gene Holter of California - Minnie, Colonel Joe, Shirley, Virginia ( renamed Lottie ? ) and Judy. Four more animals were acquired the following year - Hattie, Trixie, Koora and Dutchess.

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

National Zoo - Dzimbo

In October 1959, the Smithsonian National Zoo of Washington, D.C., received a baby African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a gift to the United States of America from the President of the French Communities of the Congo Republic, Reverend Fulbert Youlou.

Washington, A modern guide to the Nation’s capital; Michael Frome; 1960; Doubleday.
Courtesy of djgagnon.tumblr.com

Eddie Drake - Toka

Originally posted 04/13/2012
Updated 05/29/2012 with news article and image

An interesting ad in a 1977 issue of The Circus Report announces an act and elephant rides available for rent.

Circus Report, 6th year No 17, Page 8, 04/25/1977
Courtesy of CircusHistory.org

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

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

Elephants Diagnosed with Tuberculosis

"Zoo says no risk to visitors after elephant diagnosed with tuberculosis," The Sydney Morning Herald
Deborah Smith
February 5, 2011

"One of Taronga Zoo's elephants, Pak Boon, which gave birth to a calf three months ago, has been diagnosed with tuberculosis.

The zoo's senior vet, Larry Vogelnest, said the 19-year-old Asian elephant had no symptoms but tested positive in a routine, three-monthly laboratory screen for the bacterial disease, which is relatively common in elephants.

The zoo's seven other elephants have tested negative. Pak Boon is on drugs to kill the bacteria.

Dr Vogelnest said it was likely she had been infected in Thailand before coming to Australia four years ago, and the disease had remained dormant and undetectable. 'Now it has reactivated, and I think in her case it was almost certainly because of the birth of her calf.'"

For the full article:
>> "Zoo says no risk to visitors after elephant diagnosed with tuberculosis," The Syndey Morning Herald, 02/05/2011

Pak Boon and her calf at Taronga Zoo
Photo Courtesy of Anthony Johnson, SMH.com.au

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"ABQ BioPark Elephant to be Treated for Tuberculosis," GardenNews.biz
February 10, 2011

"The veterinary staff at the ABQ BioPark Zoo is actively monitoring an illness of one the zoo’s elephants.

Head Veterinarian Dr. Ralph Zimmerman has confirmed the presence of tuberculosis in Alice, a 37-year-old elephant. Tuberculosis is not uncommon in captive pachyderms and can be successfully treated. Dr. Zimmerman consulted with the nation’s primary researchers studying tuberculosis in elephants and with U.S. Department of Agriculture officials to determine the most appropriate course of treatment for Alice.

Throughout the prescribed year-long treatment, the zoo’s animal care staff will monitor Alice’s progress through trunk washes and serum analysis. The staff will also monitor her liver function, blood levels and appetite to assess side effects of the medications. Alice will remain with the rest of the herd to minimize stress on her and the other elephants while she undergoes treatment. The other elephants are continuously being tested for TB."

For the full article:
>> "ABQ BioPark Elephant to be Treated for Tuberculosis," GardenNews.biz, 02/10/2011

Alice at the Albuquerque Zoo
Photo Courtesy of KOAT.com

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"The town of Lyon pains to look after tuberculous elephants"
February 15, 2011

"Two elephants lent to the Lyons zoo of the Gold Head are from now on carrying tuberculosis. The welfare men of the zoo refuse to approach them. The circus owner of the pachyderms however awaits animalist park that it treats these elephants.

Misfortunes become legion among boarders of the zoo of the park of the Gold Head in Lyon. After the drowning of a lioness and the flight of four monkeys, here that two of its three elephants, Baby and Nepal, were detected like carriers of tuberculosis. The diagnosis ran since last year. And to prevent that a contagion is propagated, the pachyderms were far away from the public. But it is also a question of preventing that the disease does not gain the third elephant, Java. The personnel of the animalist park would wish that the two carriers of the germ of tuberculosis, which belong to the Pinder circus, leave the zoo as fast as possible.

David Gomis, the director of the Gold Head, recognizes that "the disease did not develop clinically. The elephants do not spit and do not cough". By measure of precaution it however made condemn the alleys pedestrians which lead to the enclosure. The final distance of the tuberculous elephants, according to him, is justified by the fact that "their treatment would ask for a quasi-hospital device and tons of antibiotics". In fact, two choices are essential on the eyes of David Gomis: "These elephants were entrusted to us by the Pinder circus. They must include them in their spaces of the Seine-et-Marne. If not we will have to proceed to their euthanasia".

This ultimatum had the gift to aggravate Gibet Eldestein, chairman of the circus in question. In a mail addressed to the assistant of the mayor of Lyon Gilles Buna on February 11 last, this last announced that he refuses any final solution concerning his protected suffering, Baby and Nepal. For the number one of the Pinder circuses, it returns to the Lyons zoo to look after the two tuberculous elephants or to pour 150.000 euros per elephant to him. Its missive does not let plane any doubt: "W delivered to them the pachyderms in good health."

For the full article:
>> "The town of Lyon pains to look after tuberculous elephants," CareVox.fr, 02/15/2011

Translation provided by Yahoo! BabelFish
>> "http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

Baby and Nepal at the Lyon Zoo in France
Photo Courtesy of CareVox.fr

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"Elephant spread TB to workers at Tenn. sanctuary"
Mike Stobbe
February 16, 2011

"A tuberculosis outbreak among workers at a Tennessee elephant sanctuary in 2009 is being blamed on one of the pachyderms, even though some of the employees didn't have close contact with the animal.

One elephant in the barn — a female Asian elephant named Liz — had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Investigators believe the TB bacteria spread through the air when the elephant sneezed, or through pressure washing or dust from sweeping the barn of the elephant's waste.

The eight employees tested positive on a skin test and received treatment, but are not sick or hazardous to others, sanctuary officials said in a statement Wednesday.

Liz the elephant received treatment and is still alive, said Dr. William Schaffner, the sanctuary's president. According to the refuge's website, Liz was a circus elephant for many years, has been at the sanctuary since 2006 and is about 54 years old."

For the full article:
>> "Elephant spread TB to workers at Tenn. sanctuary," News.Yahoo.com, 02/16/2011

Liz at The Elephant Sanctuary
Photo Courtesy of Elephants.com

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"Elephant Tuberculosis Initiative" at Elephant Care International
>> http://elephantcare.org/tbshort.htm

Chessington Zoo - Rosie

Dick Chipperfield states in his 1963 book "My Friends The Animals" that, at age 24, his first elephant was not a good circus elephant. She was subsequently sold to the Chessington Zoo.

"Taken on March 29th, 1935. The caption reads: Good morning, Mrs. Elephant. Rajah, the poney, likes to accompany the assistants at feeding time at the Chessington, Surrey, Zoo. Here they are calling on \'Rosie\' the elephant, who seems to be giving them a good welcome."
Courtesy of Meaghan Edwards, ZooChat.com

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

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

Portland Zoo - Droopy

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

Sunday, May 1, 2011
Elephant calf being fed at the vet school - 1968
I am assuming this is Portland Zoo's Droopy born Sept. 29, 1968, and died Oct. 4, 1968.
Posted by Wade G. Burck

Droopy was the seventh calf born to the Portland Zoo's breeding herd of Asian elephants, sired by Thonglaw and born to first time mother Effie. The female calf only survived for five days before her death.

Droopy's dam Effie was listed in previous versions of the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant as "Lost to Follow-up" and differentiated as two separate elephants. This is in part due to a name change from 'Effie' to 'Sue.' An incorrect arrival date to Busch Gardens Tampa from the Portland Zoo precedes Effie's "Lost to Follow-up" status. The second entry for this same animal lists the correct date for Sue's arrival to Busch Gardens Tampa from an unknown location and her death in June 1985. Sue is listed with Temporary Studbook Number T1368. The 2010 Edition of the studbook merges these two animals. After her purchase by Busch Gardens, Effie was relocated to Texas a year prior to Busch Gardens Houston's May 1971 opening. The park closed less than two years later, prompting her transfer to the Tampa facility with three other female Asian elephants, Kaba, Tina and Mem. All four elephants remained in Florida until their deaths except Tina, still living and one of five members in the park's herd.

At Busch Gardens Tampa, Ellie resided with another elephant from the Portland Zoo breeding program. Emma (also listed as M&M) was born into Portland's Asian elephant herd in October 1973, sired by Vance and the fourth calf for dam Rosy. Within a year of her successful birth, Emma was sold to the San Jose Zoo. This transaction perhaps took place as brokered by Texas facility Vivo Animales. The 2010 Edition of the studbook adds this location in her history between Oregon and California. More information is sought regarding this location in Lorena, Texas.

A reference has been found regarding a fire at a zoo in San Jose that killed an elephant calf in the 1970s. More information is sought regarding this animal, unlisted in the studbook.

Emma / M&M reveals another update in the 2010 Edition of the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephants. Previous versions list her with an alternate name 'Satchmo.' The 2010 Update adds Satchmo as a new elephant, SB 698, a year old male Asian elephant first arriving to Vivo Animales and transferred to Busch Gardens Tampa in July 1975 with Emma. He died the following month.

Records
Droopy, Asian Female, SB 55
29 Sep 1968 - Birth, Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
04 Oct 1968 - Death, Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon

Effie (Sue), Asian Female, SB 54
1950 - Birth, Asia
1951 - Oakland Zoo, Oakland, California
11 Aug 1966 - Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
05 Mar 1970 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
05 Jun 1970 - Busch Gardens, Houston, Texas
23 Jan 1973 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
01 Jun 1985 - Death, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

Emma (M&M), Asian Female, SB 63
31 Oct 1973 - Birth, Porltand Zoo, Portland, Oregon
Unk - Vivo Animales, Loreana, Texas
~1974 - San Jose Zoo, San Jose, California
22 Jul 1975 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
26 Oct 1986 - Death, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

Satchmo, Asian Male, SB 698
1974 - Birth, Asia
~1974 - Vivo Animales, Loreana, Texas
22 Jul 1975 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
30 Aug 1975 - Death, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

Endangered Ark Foundation - Breeding Program

The Carson & Barnes Circus and Endangered Ark Foundation recently celebrated the first birthday of their elephant herd's youngest member, Hugo! The product of natural breeding between 20 year old Tommy and 42 year old Whimpy, his addition brings the total number of males for the facility to four.

Hugo, 08/2011
Courtesy of Carson & Barnes Circus on Facebook

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

First Elephant Born in Turkey

The Izmir Sasali Wildlife Park celebrated the birth of Turkey's first elephant on February 5. The 242 pound calf was the first for its nine year old father and 17 year old mother, raising the park's herd of Asian elephants to three.

New calf and mother "Begumcan" at Izmir Wildlife Park
Photo Courtesy of DHA.com.tr

Pak Bahadur
The Izmir Zoo acquired their first elephant in 1955 when he was offered as a gift from the government of Pakistan. Pak Bahadur was born there eight years prior and kept as a single elephant in Turkey for 41 years until the arrival of Begumcan in 1996. The 59 year old elephant died in July 2007 during an operation on his foot and leg; he was considered Europe's oldest male elephant.

Pak Bahadur at the Izmir Zoo, 2000s
Photo Courtesy of AsianElephant.net

Begumcan
The Izmir Zoo acquired a two year old Asian elephant in 1996 as a gift from India's president, Kocheril Raman Narayanan. Named Begumcan, the animal became a companion for the zoo's lone 50 year old bull, Pak Bahadur. After Bahadir's death in 2007, the following year the zoo acquired another male, a young captive born animal from Israel, for Begumcan's companionship.

Winner and Begumcan at Izmir Wildlife Park, 09/2009
Photo Courtesy of Güneş Er, Guneser Photography

Winner
Winner was born at the Ramat Gan Zoo in Israel in August 2002, the number 12 of 13 born to his sire Motek and dam Warda. In July 2008, the six year old animal was transferred to the Izmir Zoo to begin a breeding program with the insititution's single female elephant Beguman. Three months later, the pair was transferred to a larger and more natural exhibit at the Izmir Sasali Wildlife Park. The 15,000 square meter exhibit and 550 square meter indoor housing boasts only one of two locations housing elephants in the country.

Winner at Izmir Wildlife Park, 09/2009
Photo Courtesy of Sinan Yuzakli

Records
Pak Bahadur (Bahadir), Asian Male, SB 5010
1948 - Birth, Pakistan
1955 - Izmir Zoo, Turkey
22 Jul 2007 - Death, Izmir Zoo, Turkey

Winner, Asian Male, SB 200208
18 Aug 2002 - Birth, Ramat Gan Zoo, Tel Aviv, Israel
26 Jul 2008 - Izmir Zoo, Izmir, Turkey
25 Oct 2008 - Izmir Sasali Wildlife Park, Izmir, Turkey
>> Winner at Elefanten-Fotolexikon.eu

Begumcan, Asian Female, SB 9410
1996 - Birth, Pakistan
04 Oct 1998 - Izmir Zoo, Izmir, Turkey
28 Oct 2008 - Izmir Sasali Wildlife Park, Izmir, Turkey

Izmir, Asian Female
05 Feb 2011 - Birth, Izmir Sasali Wildlife Park, Izmir, Turkey

For Additional Information
>> "Europes oldest elephant bull, Pak Bahadýr is dead," Elephant-News.com, 07/23/2007

>> "Winner and Begümcan look happy," Elephant-News.com, 08/08/2008

>> "First elephant to be born in Turkey," DHA.com.tr, 02/10/2011

>> Izmir Zoo, Turkey at AsianElephant.net

>> Izmir Wildlife Park

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

Artie

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