In most zoos the visitors could ride an elephant. Ouwehands Zoo was no exception on that.
Unknown elephant
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
A nice picture of an elephant walking amongst visitors in traditional dress.
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Postcard, postmarked 1937
More info to come
Berga, Nelly en Robby
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
In 1940, the ages of these three elephants were: Berga (10), Nelly (6) and Robby (3). During World War 2, the zoo was destroyed twice and many animals were killed. Some, like the lions, were shot before the battle. None of the three elephants survived the war. Berga and Nelly were shot by German soldiers as an act of mercy. The elephants had no food and nor did the soldiers. At that time, the zoo was evacuated, and no keepers were allowed to enter the park to feed the animals! The hippo, Heini, who lived next to the elephants, was also shot.
Robby died earlier.
More info to come...
World War 2.
The zoo was destroyed during the first days of the war. After the surrender of the Dutch army, the staff already began to rebuild the park. June 18, 1942, the 10th anniversary of the zoo, the park reopened the gates for the visitors. The advertisment on the right, says that the park is intact, and the live stock mainly survived. The restaurant was not damaged at all.
Old advertisments 1938 (collection Gerald Postma)
Two old advertisments of 1938:
In those days the zebra was found many times on advertisments of the zoo. The zoo had a large groups of lions, only males! Cornelis Ouwehand liked the males so much. Unique for zoos was the outside enclosure. No fences but a moat between the lions and the public. Mr. Ouwehand had to shot his beloved lions, and other predators, before the battle started, on May 10, 1940. Only the polar bear and her famous twins, escaped from the shooting. The zoo director could not kill them. The bears were hidden in the "rocks" of their enclosure.
During the fights in April 1945, the zoo was destroyed again. This time much more then in the early days of the war. The park was evacuated, including the animals. The keepers tried to save Berga and Nelly. But they were to afraid, and walked several times back into the park. With pain in their hearts, the keepers left them and some other animals (including Heini the hippo) behind, with as much food as they can find. All these animals were killed.
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Postcard, postmarked 1950
More info to come
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Postcard, postmarked 1953
More info to come
A view of the small elephant enclosure on a postcard of the 60s. Typical for those days; hippos, elephants, and other pachyderms in one exhibit.
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Postcard 1970-1980
More info to come...
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Postcard circa 1980
More info to come...
Postcard (circa 1970) with at least three different elephants:
1 x African elephant (Loxodonta africana) 2 x Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
More info to come...