Saturday, May 28, 2011

Vintage Milan Italy Zoo--1949

5 comments:

Ryan Easley said...

Wade,
I cannot find any information regarding the Milan Zoo of Italy. I only just added it to Elephant.se because of this image. One citation notes that the zoo may now be closed. Two photos are available for viewing at ZooChat that appear to be the same elephant as your postcard.

DanKoehl said...

Im presently in Sri Lanka, and since some days going through the national archives, where the annual Administration Reports includes Colombo Zoo/Dehiwela Gardens, since it was purchased/confiscated from John Hagenbeck in 1937.

Records from 1955 says:

Exchange of animals with Rotterdam Zoo arrived, for a small, female elephant, and 7 elephants were captured for the Zoo, 5 coming from the pocketed herd in Ruwan Eliya. (1955 AR, page Q2, Q3 & 1955 AR, p. Q 14), 1 from Adippola, and one from Galgomuwa. (1955 AR, p. Q 14)
5 elephants were sold (1955 AR, page Q 10) 3 females to Milan Zoo (1955 AR, page Q11), 1 baby elephant “Anula” to Rotterdam Zoo. In May 1955, the zoo had 9 elephants.

Wade G. Burck said...

Dan,
I am sure you are having a great time, I am indeed envious. Thank you for the information. Any information about that organization "Ears"?

Wade

DanKoehl said...

Furthermore, I found out today, from Mr Spartaco Gippoliti in Rome, Italy, that Turino Zoo, were a trade hub, why many animals came and went. Turino Zoo was founded by wild animal dealer Augusto Molinar, who also owned Turin and Verona Zoo. Articles on Internet mention, that he delivered elephants to Moscow Zoo center etc, why, all records for elephants from those three zoos has to be double checked, since the elephants eventually turned up with another name elsewhere.

Molinar was father to big animal hunters Guiodo Molinar and Luigi Molinar.

Nearly blind, Augusto Molinar accidentilly fell into Dora Riparia river and drowned 14th of March, 1954.

DanKoehl said...

Google translation from a document I had from Spartaco Gippoliti, its from an Italian newspaper in 1972:

Twenty-two elephants from Calcutta arrived by plane in Naples

Twenty-two elephants Cakutla arrived by plane in Naples Cakutla Twenty-two elephants arrived by plane in Naples Naples on Monday morning. (a. I.) A plane with a
unusual cargo arrived yesterday from Calcutta airport of Capodichino. The aircraft carried twenty-two elephants, fourteen of which were landed and taken up on
special vehicles, that there were transported to the zoo Fuorigrotta. The other eight elephants have continued the journey to Germany. . Many Neapolitans,
driven by the curiosity of v ^ 'ere vi ¬ Chinese elephants, have flocked to the area of Capodichino and the other roads crossed from animals to the zoo. U
Director of the Naples Zoo, Dr. Cuneo said: "Not all of the fourteen elephants remain in Naples. Some of them are destined for zoos
Milan and Turin. They were disembarked at Naples "to get them used to our climate, in the hope that do not contract a cold."