Jumbo Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Jumbo Day is annually observed on April 9. This day commemorates the life of Jumbo the Elephant, also known as Jumbo the Circus Elephant, an African forest elephant born in Sudan in the 19th century. He was transferred from Africa to the French menagerie Jardin des Plantes in Paris, and then to the London menagerie in England. Here, an American merchant and showman purchased him and brought him to the United States. Jumbo passed away on September 15, 1885. The name of the enormous elephant gave rise to the word ‘jumbo’ and left its impression on popular culture.

The background of Jumbo Day

Jumbo the Elephant was born on December 25, 1860 in Sudan. His mother was murdered by poachers when he was an infant. Taher Sheriff, a Sudanese elephant hunter, and Johann Schmidt, a German big-game hunter, captured and sold Jumbo to Lorenzo Casanova, an Italian animal merchant and explorer, who transported the animals he purchased from Sudan to Suez and then across the Mediterranean Sea to Trieste, Italy. In the 19th century, Gottlieb Christian Kreutzberg’s “Menagerie Kreutzberg” in Germany purchased Casanova’s collection of creatures.

After that, Jumbo was shipped to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, France. Again, on June 26, he was transferred to the London Zoo. Jumbo became a popular favourite due to his size, and children, including Queen Victoria, would ride on his back. While in London, he was under Matthew Scott’s surveillance. (who released an 1885 autobiography chronicling his life with Jumbo). Jumbo fractured both of his tusks, and even after they grew, he continued to wear them down against the enclosure’s stonework. Abraham Bartlett, the superintendent of the London Zoo in 1882, made headlines and ignited widespread controversy when the public caught wind of his plan to sell Jumbo to an American businessman and showman for £2,000 (approximately $10,000).

According to Bartlett, his decision was influenced by Jumbo’s growing aggression and potential to cause widespread destruction. Londoners were enraged by the sale of Jumbo, which represented a massive loss for the British empire. The sale had such an impact that one hundred thousand students pleaded with Queen Victoria not to sell Jumbo. However, this proved ineffective, and Jumbo soon departed London with his new owner, the American entertainer and circus owner P.T. Barnum. 15 September 1885 was the date of Jumbo’s death. At the time of his death, his estimated shoulder height was 127 inches, although Barnum asserted it was 157 inches.

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JUMBO DAY ACTIVITIES

View a documentary about Jumbo.

Since you have not lived during the time of Jumbo the Elephant, a documentary about him would be an appropriate method to commemorate the occasion. Invite your family and colleagues to learn about the life of Jumbo.

Visit the monument to Jumbo the Elephant

In St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, there is a statue of Jumbo the Elephant made of concrete and reinforced steel. Jumbo Day is the ideal time to pay tribute to Jumbo by visiting his monument.

Share via social networks

Don’t forget to share your Jumbo Day celebrations on social media using the hashtag #JumboDay. Tag your peers and inform your followers about Jumbo the Elephant’s life.

5 FACTS ABOUT THE ELEPHANT JUMBO

Jumbo was the first animal to achieve worldwide fame, with everyone desiring a piece of him. (figuratively).

Jumbo was the first African animal to arrive in modern Europe because he was transported there at a very young age.

Jumbo frequently hurled tantrums, and it was later determined that his developing brain glands and erupting molars were likely to blame.

Since 1882, when P.T. Barnum purchased him, Jumbo the Elephant has been the largest captive animal.

The relationship between Jumbo the Elephant and his caretaker, Matthew Scott, was mutual, as evidenced by Scott’s autobiography, which was published in 1885.