According to the Zoo’s senior elephant man Ron Ringer,
this elephant was not one of the Zoo’s elephants but was brought in just for the
ride concession (There was also a camel
for camel rides.) I have no information
on the elephant or the name of the elephant man shown here. (But many of you
probably know who he is.)
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Monday, March 03, 2014
San Diego Zoo #2
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3 comments:
Here is what I have found so far -
Steve Martin and Marty Denis had the elephant and camel ride at the San Diego Zoo from 1983 to 1989. Their first elephant was Gypsy, an animal whose prior history I have no idea. They purchase a second elephant Katie in 1984. I believe she came from Howard Johnson but don't know more than that. The ride company they formed was called Trunk & Hump - not to be confused with Bill Swains Trunks & Humps. This Gypsy was later owned by and died at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. I would really be interested in the prior history of these two animals.
http://www.showmeelephants.com/2013/03/circus-report-elephant-census-1985.html
Many of us West Coast guys heard too many stories of Michael Jackson's Neverland animals dying for the pure and simple reason that Michael's people did not know what they were doing, and he did not assure himself of skilled staff. It's another case of someone rich getting anything they want-- mansions, limousines, swimming pools, excessive in-home amenities, toying with them for awhile, then leaving the maintenance to anyone handy. Sadly enough, the novelty of Michael's animal collection wore off, and the decline set in when the people he placed were either indifferent of incompetent, one being as bad as the other.
That sure looks like Ben?
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