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Elephants |
This is a picture of an African Elephants ear. It is similar in shape to the continent of Africa. Looking at this map of the world, can you find Africa by its shape?
This is a picture of an Indian or Asian Elephants ear. India is a country and is part of the continent of Asia. On the map India is much smaller than Africa but can you find it.
Four generations of my family have had rides on Elephants at a place called Belle Vue in Manchester England. The first was my Grandad Cottam who rode on the back of an African Elephant who had been given the Indian name of Maharajah. This was in the 1870's and there were only 3 African Elephants in the whole of Britain at the time, so he was a very lucky little boy. The Elephant had been brought at an auction in a place called Edinburgh which is an Scotland. Because he wrecked the railroad wagon he was supposed to ride in Mahaajah and his keeper had to walk the 260 miles to Belle Vue . A man has written a book all about his journey which is called "The Elephant Who Walked to Manchester".
When my mother was a little girl she used to go to BelleVue to have a ride on an Indian female Elephant called "Lil" That is a picture of Lil above. Can you see her long tusks.
When I was the same age as Makayla it was my turn to go to Belle Vue with my brothers and sisters to ride on the Elephant shown in this picture. This was also an Indian elephant but I am afraid I don't know what her name was. I loved the elephants at the zoo.
When Bryn was old enough, Sandra and I took him to Belle Vue to have a ride on an elephant. However, they had stopped doing rides on live elephants so he rode on this one which had wheels and an engine. Belle Vue finally closed its doors in 1977.
In 1994 Sandra Bryn & I went to Kenya, in Africa on a Safari holiday. We saw lots of wild animals including Lions, Zebra, Leopards, Buffalo, and even a white Giraffe which is a very rare thing but the best thing was to see elephants running wild with their young. Here are a few photos that Sandra & Bryn took including one of Sandra with a great big White (wide) Rhino and another of a leopard and one of the white Giraffe.
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Here are lots of web sites about Elephants.
Friends of the Asian Elephant Projects
Indian Elephant Conservation Project
International Elephant Foundation
Practical Elephant Management - Elephant Care International
Riddle's Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary