Rajah
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Auckland Zoo in New Zealand

Biography

☨ ♂ Rajah
Rajah as museum specimen. This image is inline deepink from an external server, inline linking does not directly infringe copyright but can be removed on request.

Museum locations
Present / last location:	Auckland War Memorial Museum, in New Zealand

Date of arrival

1936-00-00	Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand

Identification

ASMP nr	20

Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Male ♂ 19 years old
Characteristics:	complete body
Origin
Born:	* 1917 unknown
Birth place:	in Myanmar unspecified location
Death
Dead:	†1936-03-09
Death location:	Auckland Zoo
Death reason:	shot: shot by a keeper, aggressive
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Auckland Zoo, in New Zealand

Date of arrival

1930-06-00	Auckland Zoo from Hobart Beaumaris Zoo

1925-00-00	Hobart Beaumaris Zoo from George B. Chapman

1925-00-00	George B. Chapman from British Empire Wembley Exhibition

Record history
History of updates	2024-11-13: last elephant Burma left

Latest document update	2021-07-05 01:55:50
Google map

† Rajah is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 1936-03-09 at Auckland Zoo, in New Zealand, . Official death reason described as shot by a keeper, aggressive.

Museum locationThe Museum specimen remains of this animal is within the collection at Auckland War Memorial Museum, in Auckland, New Zealand, since 1936-00-00.

Origin

Rajah was born unknown 1917 at Myanmar unspecified location.

Comments / pictures

Rajah stood eight Feet three inches at the shoulder and was 13 years old coming from Hobart, Australia. Rajah spent six years in Auckland before his keeper began to lose control of him and he was put down, ironically by the future director of the Zoo Lt. Col. Sawer, (this was considered more humane than being chained up for the rest of his life). It transpired that Rajahs unpredictable nature was due to a lit cigarette being put up his Trunk by a patron while still in Hobart. Rajah amazing bulk is on display at the Auckland War Memorial Museum”.

Rajah in Auckland Zoo

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2025). Rajah, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Auckland Zoo in New Zealand. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 18 April 2025 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=3408. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

Litterature about Auckland Zoo

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