POTW: Elephants (and Zoo Keeper) at Prospect Park Zoo

Alice

black and white photograph of zoo keeper and elephant using trunk to bathe itself
[Elephants at Prospect Park Zoo], circa 1940, gelatin silver print, PARK_0363; Brooklyn Daily Eagle photographs; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.

It is National Zoo Keeper Week and this week's Photo of the Week brings us to the Prospect Park Zoo, circa 1940, where a zoo keeper sprays an elephant with a hose. In 1938, the zoo held four elephants, Bill, Astra (a newcomer that year), Topsy, and Judy, but it is unclear who exactly is pictured here. The Prospect Park Zoo no longer has elephants, which is probably for the best after a series of tragic falls into the zoo's dry moat in 1938 and 1939. Today, the zoo is a part of the Wildlife Conservation Society and involved in projects to save endangered species.

Interested in seeing more photos from CBH’s collections? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images, or the digital collections portal at Brooklyn Public Library. We welcome appointments to research our entire collection of images, archives, maps, and special collections. Our reference staff is available to help with your research! You can reach us at cbhreference@bklynlibrary.org.

 

This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.

 

Richard Chiger
Hard to say if this elephant is Topsy or Judy. Bill had tusks and Astra, at the time too young. The zoo keeper looks like it might have been Ron Ellis. Mr. Ellis as a really kind and caring keeper. I knew him in the late 50's, after Judy and Astra were shot and killed, May of 1958 and replaced by Lilly and Suzie in June of 1958. Lilly, age 6 1/2, Suzie, age 5 1/2, came from the Ringling Brother's Circus. I knew Mr. Ellis till we left the city in 1974. Suzie died in the early 80's and Lilly was taken to the Bronx Zoo in 1986 where she as forced to wear a leg chain, which she always hated, and she died there in 1988. Mr. Ellis used to tell me horror stories of what was done to the elephants at the zoo. It is interesting that awarenesses change and human cruelty toward animals is no longer accepted the way it as, but there is still so much that needs to be changed for elephants in captivity. There is so much cruelty that still goes on.
Thu, Jan 29 2026 6:39 pm Permalink

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