Today as a society we feel pretty strongly about circus elephants. Kiwi kids are less and less likely to have the chance to see a real elephant unless they go to Auckland Zoo or travel abroad.
In 1934 things were a lot different, and I have to admit it made Christchurch seem a pretty colourful place as shown by this picture of Wirth’s circus elephants being watered in the Avon river between the Armagh and Victoria bridges.
9 November 2010 at 2:25 pm
That’s awesome – can’t imagine what would happen these days if there were elephants in the Avon!
10 November 2010 at 11:33 am
they might choke on the debris and pollution, stand on a shopping trolley or get arrested for loitering in a public place
9 November 2010 at 2:33 pm
I remember an elephant seal in the Avon – down near Barbadoes Street. It earned a nickname … Dumbo. Apparently Dumbo moved to Gisborne, changed its name to Homer and started causing havoc.
9 November 2010 at 3:11 pm
I’ve just got back from Melbourne where I saw some very cute baby elephants at the Melbourne Zoo. There’s nothing cuter than a baby elephant scratching his trunk on a rock!
10 November 2010 at 10:55 am
One of my life goals is to go to Northern India and see the elephants. I remember seeing them at circuses way back. Loved the photo. It looks like something Dali would paint!
18 November 2010 at 3:35 pm
This is such a riveting photograph! It would have been fun if the Avon was deep enough for them to dive and use their trunks as a snorkel!They love to dive, and I don’t blame them, they must feel so light… Watch this: http://youtu.be/ywXYfLFapLY
For the record: Baby elephants are cute.