Tantor
African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) at
Toronto Zoo in Canada

Biography

☨ ♂ Tantor
Photo: Wayne Jackson, Canada.
Museum locations
Present / last location:	Royal Ontario Museum, in Canada

Date of arrival

1989-00-00	Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada

Identification

SSP nr	343

Description
Species:	African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Sex and age:	Male ♂ 20 years old
Body height:	3.41 meter, 11.2 feet
Body weight:	6500.00 kg, 14300.00 lbs
Origin
Born:	* 1969 wild
Birth place:	in Asia unspecified location
Capture:	1971
Death
Dead:	†1989-08-02
Death reason:	anesthesia: heart failure
Offspring
Total: 4 babies

1. Born 1980-10-18	♀ Thika SSP id: 387

2. Born 1983-08-25 (dead † 2009-03-17)	♀ Tumpe SSP id: 405

3. Born 1984-06-28 (dead † 1994-07-05)	♀ Toronto SSP id: 409

4. Born 1984-09-13 (dead † 1984-09-15)	♀ T.W. SSP id: 411
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Toronto Zoo, in Canada

Date of arrival

1974-07-30	Toronto Zoo from International Fertilizer and Chemical Company (Fred Zeehandelaar)

Record history
History of updates	2008-12-25: Previous locations, Death RE 2011-02-15: Death, Text RE 2012-09-18: picture 2020-05-08: Height, weight

Latest document update	2020-10-18 06:25:24
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† Tantor is a dead Male ♂ African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana), , who died 1989-08-02 at Toronto Zoo, in Canada, . Official death reason described as heart failure.

Museum locationThe Museum specimen remains of this animal is within the collection at Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto, Canada, since 1989-00-00.

Casualties

1 casualties

1983-06-05: elephant keeper Toby Styles attacked by Tantor. tucked his Trunk under and put his Ears out and charged like a great big truck. Toby Styles Survived. Styles escaped the attack.In most cases what you do is charge them back – it’s just like a big bluff. But he started to come at me and I knew this was the time to get the hell out of there. I didn’t know I could still move that fast.Toby Styles

Offspring

Total: 4 babies

(F) 1980-10-18 Thika SSP id: 387
(F) 1983-08-25 -- † 2009-03-17 Tumpe SSP id: 405
(F) 1984-06-28 -- † 1994-07-05 Toronto SSP id: 409
(F) 1984-09-13 -- † 1984-09-15 T.W. SSP id: 411

Origin

Tantor was born wild 1969 at Asia unspecified location, captured 1971 .

Comments / pictures

"Tantor, 20, died 1989 from Heart failure shortly after surgery for tusk extraction due to infection."

His full Skeleton is held at the Royal Ontario Museum (in storage) while his preserved Heart is on display at the Ontario Science Centre. He was measured at 11ft 2in tall and 14,300 lbs at his death (20 yrs old).

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2025). Tantor, African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) located at Toronto Zoo in Canada. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 13 May 2025 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=2120. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/938855--stay-or-pack-their-trunks
Andrew Shek

Litterature about Toronto Zoo

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