Jumbo Day 2024 (US): Jumbo Day is annually observed on April 9. This day honors the life of Jumbo the Elephant, also known as Jumbo the Circus Elephant, a male African forest elephant from Sudan who lived in the 19th century. After being transferred from Africa to the French menagerie Jardin des Plantes in Paris, he was subsequently relocated to the London menagerie in England.
An American merchant and showman purchased him at this location and transported him to the United States. [Poor Jumbo] passed away on September 15, 1885. Popular culture was profoundly influenced by the word ‘jumbo,’ which originated from the appellation of the enormous elephant.
The Origins of Jumbo Day
Jumbo the Elephant was born on December 25, 1860, in Sudan. His mother was murdered by poaching hunters when he was a young child. Jumbo was acquired by Lorenzo Casanova, an Italian explorer and animal merchant, subsequent to his capture by Sudanese elephant hunter Taher Sheriff and German big-game hunter Johann Schmidt. Casanova then transported the acquired animals from Suez, across the Mediterranean Sea, to Trieste, Italy. During the 19th century, the itinerant animal show “Menagerie Kreutzberg” in Germany, owned by Gottlieb Christian Kreutzberg, acquired Casanova’s collection of animals.
Jumbo was subsequently transferred to the Jardin des Plantes menagerie in Paris, France. On June 26, he was once more relocated to the London Zoo. Due to his considerable stature, Jumbo garnered considerable popularity, with children, including those of Queen Victoria, adoring him. During his time in London, he was under the supervision of Matthew Scott, whose life with Jumbo was chronicled in an autobiography published in 1885.
Jumbo severed both of his tusks, and even as they continued to develop, he pounded them against the enclosure’s masonry. Abraham Bartlett, the superintendent of the London Zoological Garden, garnered significant media attention and initiated a broad-based discourse in 1882 when word of his intended sale of Jumbo to an American merchant and showman for £2,000 (approximately $10,000) leaked to the general public.
Bartlett’s decision was predicated, as he claims, on Jumbo’s escalating hostility and capacity to cause disorder in the public sphere. The British dominion suffered a catastrophic loss with the sale of Jumbo, which infuriated the populace of London. One hundred thousand students wrote to Queen Victoria imploring with her not to sell Jumbo as a result of the sale’s immense influence.
Nevertheless, this strategy was unsuccessful, and Jumbo promptly departed London in the company of P.T. Barnum, an American entertainer and proprietor of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Jumbo expired away on September 15, 1885. At the time of his demise, his shoulder height was estimated to be 127 inches, although Barnum claimed it was closer to 157 inches.
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Jumbo Day 2024 (US) FAQs
Describe Jumbo Day.
Jumbo Day is observed in the United States as a remembrance of the circus animal Jumbo the Elephant.
What occurs on Jumbo Day?
Jumbo Day is annually observed on April 9.
How did the elephant Jumbo pass away?
Jumbo was destroyed in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, in 1885, by a freight train. His remains were discovered on the tracks.
Jumbo Day 2024 (US) Activities
View an instructional film on Jumbo
Considering your lack of personal experience during Jumbo the Elephant’s era, commemorating the occasion by viewing a documentary about him would be a fitting activity. Invite your peers and family to participate and discover more about Jumbo’s life.
Pay homage to Jumbo the Elephant
St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada is the location of a concrete and reinforcing steel statue of Jumbo the Elephant. Jumbo Day is an ideal occasion to pay your respects at the monument and observe Jumbo Day.
Contribute to social media
Remember to share your Jumbo Day celebrations on social media using the hashtag #JumboDay. Encourage your followers to learn about the life of Jumbo the Elephant by tagging their peers.
Five Jumbo the Elephant Facts
The initial celebrity animal worldwide
Jumbo was the inaugural animal to attain worldwide renown, eliciting desire (figuratively) from all.
An early African creature to arrive in contemporary Europe
Jumbo was the initial African animal to arrive in modern-day Europe, having been traded there at an early age.
Jumbo threw frequent outbursts.
It was subsequently determined that glandular development in Jumbo’s brain and erupting molars were likely the cause of his frequent outbursts.
The most massive creature kept in captivity
Jumbo the Elephant, whom P.T. Barnum acquired in 1882, had been the largest animal kept in captivity since that time.
Strong rapport with his guardian
Jumbo the Elephant and his caretaker, Matthew Scott, shared a profound affectionate connection, as evidenced by Scott’s autobiography, which was published in 1885 and detailed his experiences with Jumbo.
JUMBO DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | April 9 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | April 9 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | April 9 | Thursday |
| 2027 | April 9 | Friday |
| 2028 | April 9 | Sunday |
