ELEPHANTS . . . 
T HE elephant is the largest of the land animals and is found in both Africa and Asia. 
The African is the larger of the two—bulls may reach over eleven feet in height and 
weigh up to five tons. The tusks of the bulls are often very fine and the record pair 
measuring over n ft. along the curve, can be seen in the British Museum. The African 
elephant is still fairly plentiful in the tropical regions south of the Sahara but is not 
encountered in the large herds reported by Europeans a century or so ago. 
The Asiatic elephant is immediately distinguished from the African by its smaller ears 
and high concave forehead. It occurs over most of southern Asia from India and Ceylon 
and then eastwards through Burma, Siam, Cochin-China, the Malay Peninsula and 
also in the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. 
At the moment of writing there are three female Asiatic elephants in the Zoo—“Annie ” 
from India, “Yvonne” from Burma, and “Mary” from Ceylon. “Annie” is now 
showing signs of her great age which, if information recently given to us is correct, 
must be round about 85 ! She is said to have been purchased as a three-year-old from a 
Liverpool animal dealer in 1870 and she spent the next seventy years of her life with the 
famous Sanger’s Circus. When this show had to close down in 1941 owing to war-time 
difficulties, the animals were sold by auction and “Annie” was “knocked down” to 
Belle Vue for fifty guineas. Because of her very quiet disposition “Annie ” was used 
for several years as a riding animal, but she has now been retired and we hope that she 
will enjoy many more years in the Zoo. 
Photo by Kemsley Newspapers 
A CHILDREN’S FAVOURITE—THE ELEPHANT RIDE 
The Burmese elephant 
“ Yvonne ” (named by 
Miss Yvonne Arnaud, 
the famous actress and 
pianist) is high-spirited 
and, therefore, unsuit¬ 
able for use as a riding 
animal, but the most 
recent arrival, “Mary,” 
an eighteen-year-old 
elephant from Ceylon, 
is extremely docile and 
reliable and on fine 
days during the season 
will give children a 
thrilling ride which 
they will never forget. 
As it appears to be a 
matter of great interest 
I would mention that 
the gestation period of 
both the African and 
Asiatic elephant is 
approximately twenty- 
one months. Another 
point which produces 
a large number of 
inquiries is the lon¬ 
gevity of the elephant. 
This question is more 
difficult to answer 
satisfactorily for, like 
humans, elephants 
have a varying life¬ 
span. Fifty years is 
probably a very 
conservative estimate, 
sixty-seventy years is 
probably a fair average 
and a centenarian 
would certainly be a 
great rarity. 
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ZEBRAS . . . 
T HERE are several species and sub-species of these attractive and boldly marked 
animals and while they naturally breed true to type, each animal has its own 
particular markings, which are as individual as a man’s finger-prints. 
Zebras are now chiefly confined to Eastern and Southern Africa, where they are still 
abundant, and it is quite common to find two or more species inhabiting the same area. 
Observers report that large numbers of ox-birds are often seen clinging to the backs and 
sides of the animals. These fellow-companions render great service to their hosts by 
feeding on the ticks and other parasites which infest the bodies of the zebras and other 
wild game. 
Zebras are highly nervous, and even after years of captive life they are easily startled. 
Early in 1949 & female Chapman’s zebra (which had been in the collection for nearly two 
years), was frightened by a wagon which passed her enclosure, causing her to dash 
headlong into some fencing, resulting in injuries which subsequently proved fatal. A well- 
known peer used to drive a team of four zebras around the London streets and squares, 
but as his animals used to shy on meeting horses and other traffic, he found it essential to 
take his drives in the early hours of the morning. 
Of the four zebras living in the Gardens at the time of writing, the most interesting is the 
unusual hybrid obtained by mating the rare mountain zebra with a Chapman’s zebra. 
This animal was bred at the Primley Zoo, Paignton, about 1940. Zebra stallions are often 
mated to pony or donkey mares, the resulting hybrids being large, handsome animals 
marked with faint stripes and are invariably infertile. “ Margot,” the Chapman’s zebra, 
arrived in July, 1943, and was named by Miss Margot Fonteyn, prima ballerina , of the 
Sadler’s Wells Ballet. The Grant’s zebra “ Tilla ” was only ten months old when she 
arrived in September, 1948. She had been reared from a day-old foal by a British lady 
living in Kenya Colony and was allowed complete freedom in the house. In time, ct Tilla,” 
developed naughty tricks including pulling the table cloth (and all that happened to be on 
it !) to the floor, so it was inevitable that she should be sent to a zoo. She has now been 
given a mate called “ Timothy.” 
Photo by Kemsley Newspapers 
GRANT’S ZEBRAS “TILLA” & “TIMOTHY 
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