Indeed. Dahlip (which is it's name) is the most impressive asian tusker I've ever seen in my life. I didn't even know elephants with tusks like that were still in America to be honest. He's also the oldest bull of his species in North America after Packy.
These bulls, alongside "Dahlip", are truly amongst the most impressive bulls in the United States... These three for their grandiose tusks and then "Hank" at Columbus for his sheer enormity, I'd say... At least for Asians, anyways.
At one time there were plans to import Dahlip to the UK by the Aspinall Organisation ( if my memory is correct !) .
After a bit of searching I found 'Help' newsletters no. 18 (1996 ) and no. 19 ( 1997 ) . These record the attempts to transfer Dahlip from Miami to Kent . A shipping container was specially converted and he was due to be trucked 1500 miles to Newburgh , New York State , then flown to Stansted but this did not prove possible . Neither was it possible to send him over by ship .
The articles record that Dahlip arrived in Miami in 1967 at the age of 2 from Trivandrum in India . He had sired 3 calves .
I was fortunate to see “Dahlip” in Miami about seven years ago.
He certainly is a magnificent creature and is probably the second most impressive elephant that I’ve ever seen although the male Asiatic elephant “Siam”, that lived in Vincennes Zoo (Paris) for many years, was even more impressive.
Indeed. Dahlip (which is it's name) is the most impressive asian tusker I've ever seen in my life. I didn't even know elephants with tusks like that were still in America to be honest. He's also the oldest bull of his species in North America after Packy.
The issue with African's is not that they are more dangerous, per say, but simply that they seem more prone to breaking their tusks than Asians.
With that said, there are a few bulls in North America sporting decent tusks, Tutume at Granby is young, but he has very nice, fairly long tusks, and Jackson at the ICC has a decent set on him too. Bulwagi's remaining tusk is still appreciable, and his son Louie has a nice set of ivory too. Sadly though, virtually all the other bulls in NA right now have fairly short, broken off tusks. Tonka at Knoxville probably would have been the nicest tusker judging from how HUGE his tusks are at the sulcus and seeing old pictures of him with tusks, but his are cut back to virtually nothing now and are drilled out, so they won't regrow.
But to stay on topic, I would say Dahlips son Spike would have been a good competitor for one of NA's most impressive asians prior to his tusks being cut back too, it seems that impressive ivory runs in the family.
