Elephants in London

Image taken by on FaceMePLS Flickr

Yes this is rather random, but following a bizarre conversation after a few too many drinks at work, I decided to delve into this strange topic for the benefit of anyone who might happen to be looking for elephants in London…..

Elephant Parade

www.elephantparade.com/london/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/faceme/1347826508/

Roll up roll up! Scheduled for the summer of 2010, this public awareness campaign for the Asian endangered elephant plans on showcasing brightly painted elephants all over London. Each model is the size of an adolescent elephant and will stand 1.5m tall. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, keep a look out for these fun pieces of art, each of which will be designed by a different artist or celebrity.

No elephants at London Zoo!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/2310964224/

Sadly, after the tragic death of an elephant keeper a few years ago, there are no elephants to be found at London Zoo. However, fear not as the elephants are being rehoused at Whipsnade, only 40 minutes drive from Regent’s Park.

Animals on the underground

www.animalsontheunderground.com
http://www.iahsa.net/LONDON/uploadedImages/IAHSA/london/elephant.gif

A great site to visit to get the most out of your long and tedious tube journeys, animalsontheunderground.com simply involve staring at the tube map and finding hidden animals in amongst lines! Absolute madness but great fun, London’s free version of ‘magic eye’ was first thought up by Paul Middlewick in 1988, who spotted an elephant during his daily journey to work!

Elephant and Castle

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markhillary/2067914995/

Elephant and Castle is in inner south London. Rumour has it that the name of the area apparently derives from a vision that someone had whilst on London Bridge when they saw an elephant with a castle on its back in the clouds…….

Jumbo the elephant

http://www.flickr.com/photos/everythingisaspoon/152191600/

In 1865 Jumbo the elephant was transferred to the London Zoo, a favourite of Queen Victoria. Jumbo was sold to a circus in 1882 even though 100,000 school children wrote to Queen Victoria begging her not to sell him. After Jumbo’s death, many metal objects were found in the elephant’s stomach, including pennies, nickels, dimes, keys, and rivets.