Cardie
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Wirth Circus in Australia

Biography

☨ ♂ Cardie


Alternative name:	Cardigan
Museum locations
Present / last location:	Queensland Museum Kurilpa, in Australia

Date of arrival

1923-07-00	Queensland Museum Kurilpa, Brisbane, Australia

Identification


Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Male ♂

People killed:	1
Origin
Born:	* wild
Birth place:	in Asia unspecified location
Death
Dead:	†1923-07-00
Death reason:	euthanised: shot
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Wirth Circus, in Australia

Date of arrival

1902-00-00	Wirth Circus
Record history
History of updates	2025-03-11: text updated

Latest document update	2025-03-29 15:04:35
Google map

† Cardie is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 1923-07-00 at Wirth Circus, in Australia, . Official death reason described as shot.

Museum locationThe Museum specimen remains of this animal is within the collection at Queensland Museum Kurilpa, in Brisbane, Australia, since 1923-07-00.

Casualties

1 casualties

1923-07: animal trainer John Cooke fatal attack by Cardie. In Brisbane, during a performance under the big top, he lashed out at his trainer, Mr Cooke, knocking down her trainer and crushing him with her head. † John Cooke Died 1923-07, Wirth Circus tour in Brisbane. The incident left the circus management shaken. George Wirth, the circus owner, lay awake that night, agonizing over what to do. By morning, a grim decision had been made: Cardie would have to be destroyed, and he was subsequently shot three days later, in July 1923.

Origin

Cardie was born wild at Asia unspecified location.

Comments / pictures

He had numerous incidences of attacking his keepers. In 1923 during a performance in Queensland Cardie attacked his trainer. He was subsequently shot in July 1923.

Circus elephant, Cardie, was shot after knocking down her trainer and crushing him with her head.

1925: John Welby Cooke Sr. was famed as the ringmaster of Wirths Circus in Melbourne. He was killed two years ago when "Cardie", a giant elephant in Wirths Circus, attacked him.

On a fateful Friday night in Brisbane, during a performance under the big top, he lashed out at his trainer, Mr Cooke, injuring him. The incident left the circus management shaken. George Wirth, the circus owner, lay awake that night, agonising over what to do. By morning, a grim decision had been made: Cardie would have to be destroyed.

What followed was a sight unlike anything Brisbane had ever seen. Early on Sunday morning, Cardie was led out of the city, crossing Victoria Bridge and ambling through the streets, accompanied by his keeper, Victor Lee. The destination: a secluded paddock near Kedron Brook in Enoggera.

As news of the plan spread, a crowd of curious onlookers began to gather, swelling to over a thousand by the time Cardie reached his final stop. Children and adults alike followed the procession, some out of concern, others out of fascination. For many, it was a rare chance to witness such a massive creature up close, even under tragic circumstances.

At the paddock, Cardie was secured to a tree with heavy chains. Two police officers, Constable Ben Hall and Constable James Egan, were assigned the unenviable task of carrying out the execution. Both men were experienced marksmen, and their orders were clear: ensure a swift and humane death.

At the signal of the circus manager’s whistle, Egan fired the first shot, hitting Cardie in the brain and causing him to collapse. Hall followed immediately, aiming for the Heart. The elephant, who had entertained countless audiences, sank to the ground and lay still. To ensure no suffering, several additional shots were fired.

Mr Cardie’s keeper for eight years and the man who shared the closest bond with him, couldn’t bear to watch. Moments before the shots were fired, he walked away from the scene, heartbroken.

Cardie’s remains, including his Skeleton and skin, were donated to the Queensland Museum, where they were intended for educational display. Even in death, the elephant’s legacy would continue, offering insights into one of the largest creatures ever to perform in Australia.

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2025). Cardie, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Wirth Circus in Australia. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 30 March 2025 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=7426. (archived at the Wayback machine)

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Litterature about Wirth Circus

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