@ Douanita, and
@ DanKoehl,
Not sure if you’re interested but here is the full history of Elephant’s at Auckland Zoo (note all are of Asian Elephant persuasion, not sure of sub-species, I'll let ya'll research that)…
“What followed was an aggressive policy of expansion over the next few years, including the zoo's first animal star, the female Indian elephant, Jamuna, whose influence is still seen today by Jamuna plaza in the rear of the modern zoo”. (1923, first Elephant at the Zoo)
“The zoo's first (and I believe only) male elephant arrived at the zoo in November 1930. Rajah stood eight feet three inches at the shoulder and was 13 years old coming from Hobart, Australia. Rajah spent six years in Auckland before his keeper began to lose control of him and he was put down, ironically by the future director of the Zoo Lt. Col. Sawer, (this was considered more humane than being chained up for the rest of his life). It transpired that Rajah's unpredictable nature was due to a lit cigarette being put up his truck by a patron while still in Hobart. Rajah amazing bulk is on display at the Auckland War Memorial Museum”.
“Tradegy stuck the zoo twice in 1954 first with the death of Albert Barnett the zoo foreman. Barnett died after a finger became infected in what was initially thought to be a minor injury sustained at work. In August another staff member, 65 year old Frank Lane, who had also worked at the zoo since it's opening like Barnett, was killed in a much publicised accident. Lane had just fed a young elephant, Kassala (not sure when she arrived, I believe she was a female Indian Elephant, refer below as I can only find one mention of her), and was climbing back through the rails between the stalls when Jamuna swung her truck knocking him into the wall and killing him instantly. Barnett had been Jamuna's regular keeper and it was reported she had been upset since his death. It is believed Lane's death was the result of a tragic accident rather than a deliberate attack. Jamuna spent the rest of her life without incident”.
“In September 1965 the zoo's star Elephant Jamuna died. She was believed to be approximately 50 years old and carried over 750,000 guests”.
“In April 1968, Ma Schwe, a female (I believe Indian) Elephant came as a replacement for Jamuna”.
“Kashin, the female Indian Elephant arrived from Como Zoo in the US in 1973, she is still at the Zoo in the (present day) Animal Planet Elephant Clearing”.
“A year later (1987) the Elephant, Ma Schwe died suddenly due to acute heart failure”.
“The other of the two current female Indian Elephants at the zoo, Burma arrived in 1990, with the Elephant Clearing beginning construction soon after. It is large moated enclosure with a modern Elephant house and pool in which the animals can completely submerge”.
Hope this helps…
Please note almost all of this (read all of this) is taken from Derek Wood’s book, A Tiger by the Tail, A History of Auckland Zoo 1922 – 1992… However Wood was the director of Auckland Zoo from late in the year of 1960 to the late 1980’s and came from the world renouned Chester Zoo. The book is meticously researched (from what I can tell) with many photo's of period newspaper articles and early zoo guides, it a great read if you can find it on Amazon, etc…
The only Elephant that seems a bit of an enigma is Kassala (I may have missed her arrival while typing though, not sure where she came from, where she went, when she was born, or died...?)
