I cannot believe there is nothing available of this site about Gunma Safari Park. Built during the boom of safari parks in Japan in the 1970s, they later celebrated the first African elephant birth in Japan with several more following. The original 8 elephants from the International Animal Exchange arrived from the United States in March 1979.
These are my notes from the first source:
1979 - Gunma Safari Park acquired 2 male and 6 female African elephants the year the park opened; from original group of 6, one female died 09/02/1981; then 2 to South Korea; 1.1 African elephants sent to South Korea 10/29/1982 ( female later gave birth there; first African elephant birth in Far East ); 1.4 elephants remained at Gunma; first birth occurred 01/31/1984 but male died within 30 minutes; healthy male born 05/05/1986; both born to female Sakuve
>> "Zoological Gardens of Japan," "Zoo and Aquarium History: Ancient Animal Collections To Zoological Gardens," edited by Vernon Kisling, p. 305
All of this information is confirmed in the Japanese African Studbook. It states there were 8 total Africans that arrived to Gunma Safari Park on 03/30/1979 from the International Animal Exchange - 2 males (Richard & Wootsu) and 6 females (Otb, Sacyubu, Candy, Bongo, Mimi & Jyoisu). I believe, due to a similarity in some of the names and the time frame, that at least some of these 8 were part of the 24 my friend picked out in Uganda from the Chipperfields and brought to Great Adventure in New Jersey. However, one elephant they identify as a female (Bongo) was a male according to what he had told me about their arrival in 1974.
On the Seoul Zoo thread, @dt644 tells me the two to South Korea arrived to the Jeonju Zoo on 11/02/1982. The Japanese studbook says these were male Wootsu and female Jyoisu. @dt644 says the pair gave birth on 09/06/1983 to a male calf which lived at the zoo until his death in 1997.
Four births occurred at Gunma, all sired by Richard. It is my understanding the park no longer exhibits African elephants but does have Sumatran elephants.
I would be very interested in any photos of the Africans in the 1980s to try and follow-up on the American ones in my records.
These are my notes from the first source:
1979 - Gunma Safari Park acquired 2 male and 6 female African elephants the year the park opened; from original group of 6, one female died 09/02/1981; then 2 to South Korea; 1.1 African elephants sent to South Korea 10/29/1982 ( female later gave birth there; first African elephant birth in Far East ); 1.4 elephants remained at Gunma; first birth occurred 01/31/1984 but male died within 30 minutes; healthy male born 05/05/1986; both born to female Sakuve
>> "Zoological Gardens of Japan," "Zoo and Aquarium History: Ancient Animal Collections To Zoological Gardens," edited by Vernon Kisling, p. 305
All of this information is confirmed in the Japanese African Studbook. It states there were 8 total Africans that arrived to Gunma Safari Park on 03/30/1979 from the International Animal Exchange - 2 males (Richard & Wootsu) and 6 females (Otb, Sacyubu, Candy, Bongo, Mimi & Jyoisu). I believe, due to a similarity in some of the names and the time frame, that at least some of these 8 were part of the 24 my friend picked out in Uganda from the Chipperfields and brought to Great Adventure in New Jersey. However, one elephant they identify as a female (Bongo) was a male according to what he had told me about their arrival in 1974.
On the Seoul Zoo thread, @dt644 tells me the two to South Korea arrived to the Jeonju Zoo on 11/02/1982. The Japanese studbook says these were male Wootsu and female Jyoisu. @dt644 says the pair gave birth on 09/06/1983 to a male calf which lived at the zoo until his death in 1997.
Four births occurred at Gunma, all sired by Richard. It is my understanding the park no longer exhibits African elephants but does have Sumatran elephants.
I would be very interested in any photos of the Africans in the 1980s to try and follow-up on the American ones in my records.
