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Western Australian Museum Asian Elephant ID???

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Sarus Crane, 17 May 2018.

  1. Sarus Crane

    Sarus Crane Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Does anyone know who this Asian Elephant is in the Western Australian Museum's old mammal gallery? It appears to be a juvenile bull and the reason why I'm asking is because I know Rajah at the Auckland Museum in NZ was a former zoo animal who was a young bull and had to be put down due to musth and aggression. Was this elephant in a zoo in Australia? I couldn't zoom in enough to read the sign on this awesome virtual tour. I looked on Perth Zoo's website and I couldn't find any information whether they had a young bull elephant in the early days. The Western Australian Museum is getting renovated and will reopen in 2020.
    wam_elephant1.JPG wam_elephant2.JPG
     
  2. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Rajah lived at the now defunct Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart, Tasmania between 1925 (approx.) and 1930. The curator traded him for a Bennet’s Wallaby and a Thylacine with a animal dealer in London.

    There is some more information about his time in Australia here:

    http://circuszooanimals.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/a-wild-child-revisited-rajah-auckland.html

    Following his death at Auckland Zoo in 1936, Rajah was sent to the Auckland War Memorial Musuem in New Zealand where he has remained ever since. There is more information about him here:

    http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/collections/topics/how-to-stuff-an-elephant

    Rajah, an Asian elephant (<i>Elephas maximus</i>) at Auckland Zoo
     
  3. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    I had a brief look through some old newspapers. There was a photo of the elephant in a 1932 article, and an earlier mention in 1927. Nothing on the animal's origins though.
     
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  4. Sarus Crane

    Sarus Crane Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Could you give some links please?
     
  5. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    Have a look on Trove - I haven't time to search out the articles again.
    Trove