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| The elephants of The Hague Zoo | ||
| Some old photos | ||
| This could be Sambo on an old postcard dated 1936. Sambo came as a very young elephant to the zoo. He even must be fed by hand! It's not known how long he stayed in the zoo. |
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| Photo: old postcard Haagsche Dierentuin, collection Peter Stolk | ||
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Elephant rides were very common in those days. The visitors even expected this! On this photo we see a very young elephant with kids on her back. This might be Betsy (IV) or Neeltje. Both came as a young elephant to The Hague in 1937. The photo was published in a special advertising leaflet of the zoo in 1939.
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| Photo: Advertising leaflet of Haagsche Diergaarde, 1939 (collection Gerald Postma) | ||
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The zoo had a pool for the elephants in which they could take a bath. The public liked this. We see on this and the next photo probably Betsy IV and Neeltje. |
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Photos above and left: Advertising leaflet of Haagsche Diergaarde, 1939 (collection Gerald Postma) | |
| Sometimes the elephants were used to do some kind of tough jobs. Dora or Betsy (III) as a snowplough... |
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| Photo: Advertising leaflet of Haagsche Diergaarde, 1939 (collection Gerald Postma) | ||
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Suze was an elephant of Wassenaar Zoo who visited The Hague Zoo during the winter of 1941-1942 (for unknown reasons). We see her here walking back to the city of Wassenaar (near The Hague) in the Spring of 1942. |
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Photo: Magazine De Spiegel, 1942 (collection Gerald Postma) |
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| Photo: Magazine De Spiegel, 1942 (collection Gerald Postma) | ||