Circus Depends On Elephants In More Ways Than One

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1949, Page 4

Circus Depends On Elephants In More Ways Than One

“There would be no circus without elephants.” Many people have said this without knowing how true their words are. Witihout elephants, Sole Bros. Circus which is now showing at Greymouth, could quite conceivably have bogged down in the quagmires which the circus’s sites have'become during the recent storm on the WestCoast. Though wet weather has followed the circus since it began its season ~ on the West Coast just before Christmas, the worst experience was at Kumara 1 where torrential rain after the show had finished left many of its 27 vehicles almost anchored to the • ground. There the elephants came into their own, and, with one pushing and the other pulling, the circus was soon on its way to its next stop. And there' the strength of the big animals was used to help to set up the camp again. Transport Problem One of the biggest attractions at the circus as they stand tied with leg irons in the middle of a circle of awed youngsters—most of them have never seen an elephant before, as the two with Sole Bros circus are the first to visit here for more than 10 years—the elephants are, unfortunately, an expensive item also. For instance, their combined weight in the special-ly-built truck which is used to transport them has taken, a heavy toll on the vehicle, and three new engines have been required since the circus set out on its tour in the North Island. The senior elephant, Topsy, is a mere 61 years of age and has been with the circus some 35 years. Sent from India to Africa and then to Aus-' tralia where she joined the show, Topsy has seen a lot of the Southern Hemisphere in her life. . The second elephant is Betty, but she has just reached the age of discretion—2l years—and though she weighs a couple of tons, she is considerably smaller than her companion. She joined the circus just prior to the war, and is only now becoming of real assistance to the circus. Of even disposition, the two elephants seem almost to ignore the attention paid to them by admiring children, but those who become too daring—and annoying—are reminded of their place by the elephants who send them rolling with a gentle push of the trunk. Rise In Price The price .of elephants ‘ has been seriously affected by rising costs. Prior to the war, four young elephants could be bought for £lOOO, in,eluding transport costs, but one animal now costs more than £lOOO. Yet the demand is great, and zoos are competing with circuses for the few available. The higher price alone, however, will not limit the number of elephants likely to be brought to New Zealand during the next few years, for the animals themselves have become scarce. Breeding was interrupted by the war in Burma, it is believed, and difficulty is being met in obtaining young beasts for world zoos and circuses.