Six Flags Great Adventure

In 1974, Gary Hill picked out 25 baby African elephants for the opening of Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. We are looking to compile the complete list of names brought back from the Chipperfield station.

Circus Vargas - 1974

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

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

Portland Zoo - Tuskanini

The Portland Zoo in Oregon promoted a very prolific breeding program from the 1960s to 1980s. Four elephants were born in 1973 at the facility. The first for the year, a male named Tuskanini, was the first of six born to female Me-Tu, herself born at the Portland Zoo as well.

Courtesy of Petra Prager, Elefanten-Fotolexikon.eu

Mike Cecere / David Meeks / Arthur Jones

Circus Report 01/27/1986, p. 25

A January 1987 Circus Report lists animal trainer Mike Cecere with 12 elephants in New Jersey - an Asian female, three African males and 8 African females.

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