As you probably know, the German AI team that work on elephants always prefer to use semen from two different bulls when inseminating elephants. Perth Zoo has shown interest in trying AI again after their last attempt was not successful, but this time, using semen from their bull and from a bull outside the country. If the Singapore bull ended up being the sire of an elephant here, that would mean an additional unrelated founder to the regional population.
Presumably this means Perth's bull doesn't mate the cows? And if semen from two seperate bulls is used, is that to ensure that each AI attempt has a 'double' chance of success? Colchester Zoo in UK have African elephants, their bull 'Tembo' has sired two calves by AI, one in Austria (Vienna?) and one in his home zoo. He later fathered another calf naturally at Colchester(different female) and now a third is pregnant from him.
My understanding (although I'm happy to be corrected), is that the AI team consider that "competition" between sperm from two different males might lead to a greater chance of fertilization. Personally, I don't know if this is correct or not, and I do know, that the last insemination attempt used only semen from Perth's male, rather than semen from two males.
Maybe this scenario mirrors events in the wild, a cow might mate with more than one bull during her oestrus- 'the best man(= sperm) wins'........ (Why is nothing happening with Melbourne's gorillas????)
http://www.elephant.se/country.php?name=Australia found this zoos and circus' elephant holding past and present accodrding- perry brothers still have 4 elephants- according to updated records as of 26/3 07
Interesting... My local council pays circuses to perform at the local show, last year, possibly the year before it was perry brothers circus... I believe it is run by elaine someone now. a cousin of the original family. I contacted one of them a while ago and he told me that the elephants don't travel.. they definately were'nt at the show... but I will contact Dan at the elephant database and see where he got that info from...
Also in 1998 Ginny, one of the elephants listed was said to be 34 years old which means she is not an old girl... intersting. Haven't heard much about them but they may have retired their girls.
there are contact numbers on sites , just type in p[erry brothers circus, and find a link to there next show, and they hve contact numbers
Circus elephants Lorraine Maynard owns Perry Brothers Circus, Robert Perry and Mark St Leon have both told me to contact her direct about the elephants. The information was provided to the elephant database by a melbourner who also saw the elephants around melbourne. Perry Bros circus is at my local showground atm for this weekends show. only two trucks and a couple of caravans with two ponies. This doesn't mean they don't have elephants. I will talk to them next time I'm in town. That would account for the 6 elephants in NSW circuses mentioned in another thread a while back. four at Perry Bros and Two at Stardust. I read that one of the Lennon chain of circuses had one elephant (not stardust) they may have given her to Perry's. Also in the thread about heman dying there was alot of talk about Dubbo taking Arna and Gigi. This won't happen. Unless they lease them plus they are free contact girls and from what the circus has told me they would want to send Their keeper with them.
There are currently 7 elephants in private hands accross Australia - Bullens - 3 Lennon Family (Stardust) - 2 Perry Bros Circus - 2 Until two years ago Perry bros had 4 girls but two of them have died in the last two years
Does anyone know what happened to a little elephant named Tara, who was at Adelaide zoo but was sold to Sole Bros. circus? It's a rather sad story. Adelaide had Samorn, which they got in 1956. In 1963 they got Tara and for the first time the zoo had two elephants at once. Samorn was 11 and Tara was 5. They became very attached to each other, so much so that when Samorn was taken out each day to drag cartloads of kids around both elephants became distressed by the (temporary) separation and squealed and cried. Zoo management decided that in the interests of peace and quiet that Tara should be sold, and sold she was to Sole Bros. circus. As far as I'm aware, Samorn (who died in 1994 - foot infection) never saw another elephant. Does anyone know anything about Tara?
