Gary K. Clark--Define's the term "zoo man."

Gary Clarke of Cowabunga Safaris (and director emeritus of the world famous Topeka Zoo) has been asked to speak to a group of "Hippo Enthusiasts" and requests that hippo stories be sent to him - not so much natural history as stories about hippo personalities, behaviors, unusual incidents etc., both in Zoos and in Africa.

Snail mail:

Gary K Clarke

Cowabunga Safaris

P.O. Box 4863

Topeka, KS 66604

Email: cowasafaris@aol.com (please include your snail mail address as Gary CAN NOT answer emails.

I don't think there is an zoo/animal professional in the United States who does not know Mr. Clarke. When the greats of modern time like Perkins, Conway, Fisher are referenced Gary is surely in that list. He started his career as a zoo keeper and finished as the Director of the World Famous Topeka Zoo, with stops along the way at Detroit and Kansas City to name a few. He is a past President of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, as well as noted author of I'D RATHER BE ON SAFARI and coming out in August, HEY MISTER--YOUR ALLIGATORS LOOSE, published by Baranski Publishing Company. I had the honor of meeting Gary in 1992, when he came to the Greatest Show on Earth as my guest, and I spent one of the greatest zoo day's of my life touring the Topeka Zoo with Gary, and he gifted me with some of my most cherished zoo paper material. He is probably best known for have the world's finest, most complete photographic documentation of "Cowabunga" ever assembled by any scholar. He also operates Cowabunga Safaris, and offers fabulous "photo safari's" to Africa.

I would like to request all zoo/animal professionals who honor us with their knowledge on this blog, Jim C., Jim S., Jamie C, Joey R, Jim A., Don and his mates, Toby S., Rob, RJR, Barb C. and all the rest, contact Gary. If you don't already know him, introduce yourself. You will not regret it, and you will have met a true,colorful, story telling fool of this crazy, crazy, animal fraternity.

Above and below is Gary K Clarke in the early 70's, with Peka Sue, Topeka Zoo's Nile River Hippopotamos, who died Feb. 24 at the age of 47, 43 of those years living at the Topeka Zoo.

It is with great sadness that Friends of the Topeka Zoo (FOTZ) announces the passing of Peka Sue, one of our Nile River Hippopotomus. Peka Sue passed away late Sunday afternoon. The normal life span of hippos in captivity is 45-50 years. She would have celebrated her 48th birthday in June and was the longest living resident of the Topeka Zoo.

Peka Sue was born in 1961 at the Kansas City Zoo. She arrived at the Topeka Zoological Park in 1966 and was the first large animal on exhibit in the new Animals and Man Building, as well as the first hippo in Kansas. She was well cared for by her keepers and they provided various daily animal enrichment activities.

In 2004, Peka Sue was introduced to the outdoors for the first time with the addition of our outdoor hippo exhibit. She quickly adapted and enjoyed sunning and swimming in her outdoor pool.

Peka Sue was a favorite of many visitors who came to the zoo, but she held a special place in the hearts of children. It was a treat to see her walk down her ramp and gracefully glide into her pool. She would hold her breath up to five minutes and then upon coming up for air, children would squeal in delight.

As we mourn the loss of Peka Sue, we also take this time to celebrate her life and all of the wonderful memories she brought to our zoo for over 40 years.

For A2--Celebrity Endorsers? What makes you think they know more then the "average joe?"

A person who has seen the Monte Carlo Festival for the last 15 years, and "thus knows elephant's" right, publishes pictures on their blog with comments,(these arn't his pictures), had this to say: "The elephants look content and well fed, although I have no expertise. They've got a few tree trunks to move about. I remember last year seeing one of the elephants rocking back and forth, which perhaps indicated stress. Not so, this year." The elephants he was talking about being content and well fed, are the ones above. The one's that weren't as content are the ones below!!!!!! Do you think this fruit cake even realizes they are different species? At least he was smart enough to alibi with "although I have no expertise". Boy, was he right on that account.




Second question from A2:
And on that subject:
2) Bob seems to be an expert with elephants, or at least very familiar with them. He saw Anne performing in the UK and "thought she looked poor" - he cannot be unaware of the controversy around her continued appearances in the condition she is in. As an elephant person he could well have lent the side urging her retirement a great deal of credibility and a great boost, which might have ended in Anne being able to stop traveling.. What did he do with his observation that she did not look good? Ask him. I bet the answer is : nothing at all.


A2, here's the pitch. If you can claim Bob Barker as an " celebrity expert" with validity on animal care and behavior, then I can claim Tuff Hedeman as a "celebrity expert" with more validity on animal care and behavior. My "celebrity expert" say's you can haul a bull from city to city, spur the soup out of him for 8 seconds, with no ill affects. In fact, he say's the bull likes the challenge. It play's up to his bovine machismo. My "celebrity expert" has cow shit on his boots, so that means at least he has been there done that, and doesn't depend on faxed report's/luncheon's for his "expertize."

When I and Ben Trumble point out to you that he has a bias, and is only interested in hanging paper for PAWS, you claim WRONG!!!! He is for all elephant's that how sincere he is. Here's your statement: As an elephant person he could well have lent the side urging her retirement a great deal of credibility and a great boost, which might have ended in Anne being able to stop traveling.. What did he do with his observation that she did not look good? Ask him. I bet the answer is : nothing at all. He sounds as sincere as all the elephant guys who looked at the video/picture, but only one showed his concern for all elephants, not just the one's he wanted.

For Jim Alexander--The underground entrance/exit door into the Emmen Zoo Elephant Exhibit

Jim first made me aware of the unique "underground" barn/night holding area at the Emmen Zoo. I imagined a ramp type of system, but it appears that the elephants go up and down steps. I can't imagine what the long pipes/rods are on the end. I wonder how well the system works, as it is about the gosh darndest thing I have ever seen, or how much work it takes to get new animals like Radza comfortable going in and out. If I didn't know better I would think it had been designed and built by a well know American circus animal producer from the Mid-West.

Courtesy of Rebis Guillaume

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey

Could this possibly be a young Richard Reynolds getting his first look at a rhinoceros?

Ringling Bros. Baggage Stock

This is a whole load of "large" horses to have in a small, wire fenced area. The safety factor is frightening. This looks like a "horse feedlot" LOL. I wonder if it was a temporary turn out paddock, while the barn was being mucked out. Folks who have had the hateful pleasure of stacking field hay, will appreciate the skill necessary in these illustrated stacks.

Ringling Bros. Winter quarters Menagerie

I suggest the claim of "educating" was a reach even as far back as the golden years.



In regards to the post card above, I still think it is time to come up with a new "schtick." Either the "claim" was never accepted, or for some reason the pubic quit believing it.

Sarasota, Fla. 1953

Ringling Bros. Winter quarters--Sarasota, Florida--1953

I have always wondered if the octagon ring barn in the photo above and the long, low buildings in the photo below, were the same ones dismantled and moved to Venice, or were they left in Sarasota, and new, identical structures built in Venice?



The cage act at Monte Carlo in 2008(the year Albert "gifted" an animal rights group with his poor, captive zoo leopards) actually had an old arena with the pointed hooks on the top, which was a common form of "containment" for feline/ursine . I would think it would be time for some people to get new equipment and move into the "modern era" of the circus, with due respect to "traditional!!!!"

For Richard Reynolds--Goliath/ Colossus?

Posted below are Richard Reynolds statements about Goliath/Colossus, Ringlings Elephant seal. The animals kept in the old menageries and their housing/caging has been one of my greatest interests as far as circus history is concerned. I didn't realize there were two Elephant seals until reading Richards comments. There were a couple of more questions asked of Richard, that he likely didn't see, and I would like to "reask" them in the quest for knowledge. The first question in regards to the filtration system used. Richard mentioned "sand" put on the floor to aid in getting out of the pool, and I wonder what kind of havoc that played with the filtration system, as it had to have gotten in the water. Or was the filtration system of the day the old, "dump and fill", that Jim Alexander mentioned in a past thread was the system used in zoo's for sea lion exhibits, in the old day's? The stench/smell in the summer time had to be terrible. I can't imagine a source of clean refill water being readily available. The second question asked was, "what was the purpose of the sloped floor in Goliaths parade wagon(second photo from the bottom)?" Was it to make him "appear" bigger, or was it to make him comfortable raising up, as the photo below show's him "proped" up with blocks? Or is that Colossus? Thank you, Richard.




When Goliath did this turn on the hippodrome track at the last evening show, he rolled out of the big top and straight to his special car #34 on the 3rd section. In the AM and between shows he was kept in a tent in the back yard. It had a portable canvas bathing pool.

The only exception to that procedure was if the rail siding was right on or adjacent to the lot. e.g. Atlanta. Then he would go to and from his special rail car between shows.

Goliath’s special rail car was equipped with a shallow pool and sandy beach, i.e., a dry floor area which was covered with sand so he could clamber out of the water. His keeper rode in a compartment in one end of the car.

When #34 was first used in 1928 the sloshing water and movements of the huge animal made the car unstable. This caused several derailments. That seems to have been corrected for 1929 et seq.

I believe the elephant seal in this Atwell photo is the first "Goliath" - -the one they had on show in 1928-29. He died in Sarasota and they went to his substitute Colossus for 1930-31 [He went to Sells Floto for '32].

Colossus was also advertised as Goliath, since they already had all that paper on hand. He does not seem to have been quite as large as the original Goliath.

The Sarasota newpaper for 1930 had a very excellent, detailed write up about the trouble they had getting Colossus out of his pen on St Armand's key. He had to clamber into the truck and be hauled to quarters so as to board his special rail car. He had been enjoying the "beach" for some two years and did not want to give up that comfort.