† Dunk (Duncan) is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 1917-03-30 at Smithsonian National Zoological Park, in United States, . Official death reason described as shot with a rifle after breaking his shoulder after falling.
Dunk (Duncan) was born wild 1866.
Date of Dunk's transfer to NZP noted in Annual Report (1894) is incorrect. "Local Notes" and "Bison to Biopark" give the date as 1891, not 1890. Gold Dust and Dunk with head keeper W. H. Blackburne at the National Zoological Park, 1898 In 1891, the first animals to be quartered at the new National Zoo were Dunk and Gold-dust, donated to the government by James E. Cooper, owner of the Adam Forepaugh Circus. Dunk fought badly with the other elephants, requring his transfer. The zoo accepted the 25 year old, 6040 pound elephant. While sleeping one night in March 1917, Dunk lost his balance and fell, breaking his shoulder with the bone protruding from his hide. He was shot eight times in the ear with a 45-caliber Winchester rifle, causing his death. Several years ago, when Dunk was still living, I visited the elephant house in the National Zoological Park. The floor of Dunk’s enclosure was raised several inches above that of the front of the building. A peanut lay at the base of this raised floor and Dunk was trying to obtain it. But it was too close to the raised floor and he could not get hold of it. After a little he put his Trunk down near the peanut and blew a gentle blast, rolling it out where it was easily accessible. Dunk was the only elephant I ever knew who, having “gone bad” in a traveling menagerie, regained his good disposition in a park. Usually when an elephant “goes bad,” he is bad ever afterward. W. Henry Sheak, The Elephant in Captivity, Natural History, September-October 1922
Several years ago, when Dunk was still living, I visited the elephant house in the National Zoological Park. The floor of Dunk’s enclosure was raised several inches above that of the front of the building. A peanut lay at the base of this raised floor and Dunk was trying to obtain it. But it was too close to the raised floor and he could not get hold of it. After a little he put his Trunk down near the peanut and blew a gentle blast, rolling it out where it was easily accessible. Dunk was the only elephant I ever knew who, having “gone bad” in a traveling menagerie, regained his good disposition in a park. Usually when an elephant “goes bad,” he is bad ever afterward.
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