Happy the Elephant

L

Levyzz

Member
The Bronx Zoo currently has three elephants. These three elephants, Patty, Maxine, and Happy, were on display at the Zoo Center together prior to the induction of Patty and Maxine into the Monorail. Where is Happy? Why don't they exhibit her?
 
Levyzz said:
The Bronx Zoo currently has three elephants. These three elephants, Patty, Maxine, and Happy, were on display at the Zoo Center together prior to the induction of Patty and Maxine into the Monorail. Where is Happy? Why don't they exhibit her?
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From what I understand, Happy is antisocial and doesn't get along with Patty and Maxine and thus must be separated from them. She unfortunately has to live on her own since we doesn't get along with the other elephants. She's usually kept in the off-show elephant area right behind where the monorail passes the elephant enclosure. On my last visit, when we reached the elephants, I looked behind and could see her in an off-show yard. It seems she is displayed in the main yard from time to time, though.

~Thylo:cool:
 
DavidBrown said:
Haven't they turned Zoo Center into a Komodo dragon exhibit?
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There are three outdoor enclosures at the Zoo Center. The largest has been turned into a Southern White Rhinoceros (2.0) enclosure. The other two are currently being converted into enclosures for Komodo Dragons and Aldabra Giant Tortoises (at least 1.1). As for indoor space, one side is for the rhinos, and the other side is for Komodo Dragon and a few other monitor species.

~Thylo:cool:
 
I guess that's true. That's why they aren't there now. I would love to see them out of the Monorail though. I know they planned to phase out elephants, but that was 8 years ago. I would assume the standpoint is the same. :(
 
Levyzz said:
The Bronx Zoo currently has three elephants. These three elephants, Patty, Maxine, and Happy, were on display at the Zoo Center together prior to the induction of Patty and Maxine into the Monorail. Where is Happy? Why don't they exhibit her?
Click to expand...

Happy is kept in the Wild Asia building and has her own yard. She was originally kept with Grumpy and the other elephants until Maxine and Patty killed Grumpy and they do not get along with Happy either so they cannot be kept together. Happy is a very social elephant, having lived with Sammi until her untimely death and the other elephants before that. Happy, now is completely alone, not a good situation for an elephant. I was told that Happy is occasionally brought into the exhibit area, but I have never seen her. It is a pity that zoo/sanctuary politics are what they are or Happy might have a better life.
 
I have seen happy on exhibit in the main yard but not very often. I visited the bronx zoo yesterday and she was in the off exhibit yard. The off exhibit yard is now filled with deep sand, instead of the dirt it used to be. That means it is better for her health. She looked to be happy and active, despite being alone.
 
I hope you are right that Happy is happy. Loneliness is not fun. I remember Happy from the time she lived in Busch Gardens as one of the 7 dwarfs and I often saw her when she lived with Grumpy and Tuss and then with the calf, Sammi, after Tuss died. They also had Lilly there for awhile who was one of the greatest elephants in world but who unfortunately died after about 2 years in the Bronx Zoo from unknown reasons. Happy, like all elephants, is a social animal and so I truly hope you are right. If there is a chance that you know of anyone with old pictures of Bronx Zoo elephants, I am looking for a picture of an Asian bull named Runga who was there from 1930 to 1940.
 
Richie said:
Happy is kept in the Wild Asia building and has her own yard. She was originally kept with Grumpy and the other elephants until Maxine and Patty killed Grumpy and they do not get along with Happy either so they cannot be kept together. Happy is a very social elephant, having lived with Sammi until her untimely death and the other elephants before that. Happy, now is completely alone, not a good situation for an elephant. I was told that Happy is occasionally brought into the exhibit area, but I have never seen her. It is a pity that zoo/sanctuary politics are what they are or Happy might have a better life.
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How did they kill Grumpy:confused:
 
Levyzz said:
Oh really? Do you have a reference to share that speaks about this?
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from Grumpy, an Asian elephant at Bronx Zoo (the page for Grumpy)
In 1972, the Laguna Hills Lion Country Safari in California imported seven Asian calves and dubbed them the "Seven Dwarves." They came from Thailand and cost $800 per elephant. Shortly thereafter they were transferred to the West Palm Beach Lion Country Safari in Florida, minus one that died beforehand.
Sneezy (SB160) was sold to the Memphis Zoo in July 1974 and has resided at the Tulsa Zoo since 1977. Happy (SB208) and Grumpy (SB168) were sold to the Bronx Zoo in March 1977. Happy still lives there with two other females Asian elephants, whereas Grumpy died in 2002. Dopey (SB148, later renamed Cindy) and Bashful (SB151, later renamed Jaz) were sold to Howard Johnson in May 1978 and transferred to his son Gary Johnson of Have Trunk Will Travel in 1987, eventually joining the George Carden Circus in 1993 where they still perform today. Doc (SB272, later renamed Vance) was sold to Bill Swain in June 1980, sold again to Mike Hackenberger of the Bowmanville Zoo eight years later, and died in 2007. The last dwarf, Sleepy, was the calf that never left California.
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Other than the reference from the elephant census, I am not sure if there is anything that was written about those baby elephants. There might be something about them, as a group, in the Elephants in Zoos and Circuses in North America, but that book is in German and I can't read German. Sneezy is still in Oklahoma, Doc, I believe, was in Canada and renamed Vance, but he died. Happy is, of course, in the Bronx Zoo. You might find more information on the elephant census if you want to research it.
 
Awesome, i never thought about why the elephants were "Happy" and "Grumpy"! It makes sense, its a shame that Happy is in the situation she is in.
 
It is and it is so sad that she is going to stay that way because of the politics of the zoo/sanctuary situation. Happy could have a much better and "happier" life. Happy is a nice elephant whose life was much fuller when she had "friends".
 
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