Rajah
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Perry Brothers Circus in Australia

Biography

☨ ♂ Rajah


Identification


Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Male ♂
Origin
Born:	* unknown
Birth place:	in Asia unspecified location
Death
Dead:	†1932-05
Death reason:	poisoned: stomach contents revealed the presence of a comparatively large amount of poison
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Perry Brothers Circus, in Australia

Date of arrival

	Perry Brothers Circus from Fremantle Harbour

	Fremantle Harbour from Asia unspecified location

Record history
History of updates	2025-04-05: new record, poisoned

Latest document update	2025-04-05 08:17:15

† Rajah is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 1932-05 at Perry Brothers Circus, in Australia, . Official death reason described as stomach contents revealed the presence of a comparatively large amount of poison.

Origin

Rajah was born unknown at Asia unspecified location.

Comments / pictures

Perry’s two bull elephants Large male ( I think his name was Rajah) and a small male who’s name was Tommy (he Killed his keeper years later)

I do recall my grandfather saying the big male they had was a gift to Perth zoo and when he arrived he was unapproachable on the boat and was trying to attack the zoo handlers when they tried to unload him .The circus was in town at the time and he was offered to them if they could get him off the boat or he was going to be shot
Tony Maynard

Circus Elephant's Death.
"Rajah," the largest elephant in Perry's menagerie, which was valued at £1000, died suddenly at Nyngan about a week back. An examination of the stomach contents revealed the presence of a comparatively large amount of poison

The Muswellbrook Chronicle, Fri 27 May 1932

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2025). Rajah, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Perry Brothers Circus in Australia. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 24 April 2025 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=17488. (archived at the Wayback machine)