Save Barnum’s Pygmy Elephant
Posted by: Loren Coleman on March 5th, 2006
UPDATE: Unfortunately, this elephant has been sold into a private (not a cryptozoological) collection. I will leave the following here, for historical reasons.
Would you like to help save a national treasure within the cryptozoological and zoological community? Could we get a group of people together to preserve this item?
It has come to my attention that P. T. Barnum’s Pygmy Elephant is for sale.
Here’s the description from the seller:
This Elephant is in beautiful condition and dates from the mid 1800’s.
The mounted specimen stands approximately 5’3" tall, it’s approximately 7′ in length and approximately 3′ wide.
The elephant is located in Los Angeles, CA.
This is the information we were given when we acquired the specimen. It was once owned by PT Barnum, and it is said to be a pygmy elephant. We can not be certain if it is a baby or a true dwarf elephant.
It died of natural causes. After it’s death Barnum had it sent to Henry Ward of the Natural Science Museum in Rochester, NY where Henry prepared and mounted it for display. After Henry completed the taxidermy the elephant was returned to Barnum.
Needless to say, I would be lying if I didn’t mention I would like to see this pygmy elephant go on loan to the International Cryptozoology Museum, but first and foremost, it needs to be saved. Therefore, I don’t care who owns it or displays it as long as we can see if any serious cryptozoological collector or supporter might come forth with the capital to make certain this item is retained safely.
For serious collectors only, of course. The story and saga of the Pygmy Elephant is a well-known cryptozoological adventure (see the entry in Cryptozoology A to Z, pages 204-206).
Click here to directly email me, if you are an angel with an interest in helping financially or joining a like-minded group. Confidentiality respected.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
Another good cause… The unusual chimp named Oliver that long-time researchers will remember was being touted as a possible juvenile Bigfoot back in the 1970s, is now being cared for by Primarily Primates in Boerne, Texas. They tell me that Oliver’s spinal deformity causes him extreme arthritis and his medicine is quite expensive. Primarily Primates runs strictly off of donations. Thus, anyone interested in helping Oliver can get the contact info. from the Primarily Primates website.