Elephants in Downtown Calgary

Elephants in Downtown Calgary, originally uploaded by whistlepunch.

I know it is traditionally time for there to be a lot of horses in Downtown Calgary but this is is one of my favourite pictures of animals with the "Husky Tower" in the background. This was taken a while ago... and that is me with my cousin Michael and my Grandpa. Did Grandma take the picture? We were attending the Circus! I can't figure out where that would be now.

As an adult, I now know that having elephants in a travelling circus xclearly isn't the best existence for them. Even our Calgary Zoo has decided that they can't serve the needs of the elephants as well as they should. I'm sad that the elephants will be relocated from our zoo but if we can't change the circumstances and provide them a healthy environment that they can thrive in with enough other elephants for their social needs as well, then it is a good move. At least you can see them for the next 4 or 5 years before this will happen. I missed out on the Bathtime with the Elephants program.

I think my love of elephants comes from watching "The Jungle Book" as a kid. My FAVOURITE Disney movie. I even remember collecting the toys from cereal boxes that promoted the movie. Instead of the linking barrel of monkeys, they had linking panthers, Mowglis and snakes. I never found a snake but you can buy one on Ebay!

That movie had such great music (I still think it is the best of all the Disney music - who can go wrong with Louis Prima!!!) and Colonel Hathi's March is just so much fun. What little kid can resist marching around when that scene comes on the DVD!

Wouldn't it be fun to hear one of the bands in the Stampede parade play that as they marched along? A Stampede / Jungle Book mashup! Yee Haw!

Here's a different mashup of the march. Enjoy!