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I have scanned this page from "Elephant Kingdom" by H N Marshall. He was a forest officer in Burma in the 1950s, and wrote this autobiography in 1959. He mentions the branding process several other times in the book but this is the main description
Courtesy of Donovan Glyn
Thank you Donovan. You and your mate, Guillaume with the kind offering of photos have provided more insight on this subject, then I have heard or seen in 25 years and while it is great insight into the branding practice, we still don't know for sure "why" and why there are no other examples of brands other then stars, or a number. Let's all keep looking, maybe we can come up with valid answers.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Elephant branding insight
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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4 comments:
Wade, I have looked through J Williams books "Bandoola" and "Elephant Bill" and though there are few mentions of branding, he does describe the brands on the bull Bandoola as a "C" on each rump. This elephant was branded at the age of 6 years, in 1903, just after being bought by a British company working for the British Government. Although at that age very young for a working animal, he was part of a consignment purchased for work on the Upper Chindwin area, which might explain the letter "C".Obviously different companies or owners would have different marks, and perhaps non-Europeans didn't use letters? Or perhaps certain letters could be altered into stars or other shapes when an animal changed ownership? Or perhaps branding procedures changed in 70 or 80 years after this? Wouldn't it be fascinating to get a look at the records of some of th old Forest Officers! Just a couple of theories!!
Don,
I don't think it would be an easy process to alter much to look like a star. The oddness is that only stars appear on elephants obviously of different ages. Also the numbers we have seen are very odd. Given the difficulty/danger of the "acid process" you would think a simple 1,2,3 might be of use. A number in the thousands suggests at a large number of individuals which also isn't likely. Consignment or a form of ear tagging seems most likely. As Brink was responsible for the import of those in Europe, I wonder who captured/imported those to Ringling?
Isn't it odd that there would be documentation or written words about the subject in 1903, yet in 2009 we are in the dark and unsure what it was about?
Wade
Wade, thera are lots of things which are happening right now of which we are in the dark, as you can see from the responses to some of your questions on the blog!! I think it's interesting to note that it seems to be Burmese elephants which are branded, and not all of them. We have 3 of the same shipment as the Twycross elephant, and none of ours is marked (we had a 4th, also unmarked, who died 2002). Perhaps branding became a "cultural" idea in Burma after the British left, and was continued in a few camps as a sort of tradition? I don't know, I'm just thinking aloud really.Perhaps someone could go visit Burma and find out!!LOL! I'm glad you raised this topic, it's really made me think about something which I'd always taken for granted!
Don,
Brilliant idea. We could send our mate John Cooper over to Burma to do a review of Burmese logging/branding procedures, under the auspices of Her Majesties Service. I trust there would be a warm welcome committee to show him around, and I suggest a lousy frankfurter would be the least of his worries. LOL
I really hope you and your associates, and others will be able to find more information about the practice. I have been looking and asking since 1982 when I saw GGW and Axel's youngsters for the first time. Every single bit of information/insight gained since then has been posted on these couple of threads, and it sure isn't much. The excerpt you sent has been about the most informative, thank you, but it actually opened more windows then closed any. Just really unusual. If we had not swept "paralyzed trunks" under the rug, or used it to cast aspersions at another, we may have been able to address a solution by now.
My thoughts on discussion, or opening a subject for debate regardless of the issue are thus: Sometimes opening up the dialogue is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
The only thing that shuts the learning process down, is when someone finds a shoe that fits very well, and in an effort to get it off their foot the sabers start rattling and the name calling/accusations kick into high gear.
I am reminded of a well know Brit, who at the end of an infamous animal cruelty trial, was quoted, "I don't give a damn, I would do the same thing again!!!!" Are you kidding me? You would????
I thank you for an open mind.
Wade
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