Buckles Blog: Barnes/Floto/RBBB 1938 #10

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Scan11505, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Richard Reynolds said...: This giraffe is female Edith. In her early years on the show she was also called Soudana, likely after the place of her birth. The "Edith" moniker was put on her in honor of Mrs. Charles (Edith) Ringling.

The giraffe was imported from the Sudan in 1936, brought over by Howard Bary togther with the so-called pygmy elephants.

She was a fine animal and was taught to be led in the specs. She did that in 1938, 39 and again in 1948. Actually when Bary found her she was already trained to pull a sulky. I believe he found her in Khartoum.

Edith (nee Soudana) was also a fine breeder with viable calves born in 1940(Henrietta),1946 (Boston), and 1951(Gloria).

She was the only one of the three RBBB giraffes to survive the terrible menagerie fire in Cleveland in 1942. She managed to kick her way out of the pen and was found wandering down on the lake front(Erie).

She tropued as late as 1954 and died in Sarasota quarters in August,1955.; 02 April, 2009 12:08

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