Though clearly an African elephant, since the Beaumaris Zoo only ever had one elephant, I assume this is a reference to Rajah. Rajah was a male Indian elephant who was imported in 1925. He was sold to Auckland Zoo in 1930 and following his death in 1936, went on display in Auckland Museum.
Sorry made a mistake with these ornamental animal metalwork reliefs on the gate about their age when we were talking about Beaumaris, were apparently added in recent decades not during Beaumaris's open years (imagine a metalwork relief artist was asked to create an Elephant one, like you point out as a tribute by the council to Rajah's time at the zoo, and the artist designed an African Elephant one instead).
@steveroberts That’s all good. When I saw them I figured they would be a more recent addition and somebody somewhere obviously commissioned an elephant - being the second most notable species after the Thylacine at Beaumaris Zoo; without dictating to the artist it should be an Indian elephant.
