Stockholm Zoo (Skansen) in Sweden

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Stockholm Zoo (Skansen)
Nika to the left, and Bambina to the right. Bambina was, with almost six tons, probably among the largest Asian female elephants in Europe. At the gate is Skansens first elephant keeper, Sven Borg, who was responsible for the elephants 1930-1975. Photo: 1962 by Göran Schmidt
Local name	Skansens zoologiska avdelning
Type	zoo
Founded	1891
First elephant arrived	1930
Last elephant left	1992
Address	Box 27807
Zip-code	S-115 93
Place	Stockholm
Country	Sweden
Website	Website
Related persons
Owner	Stiftelsen Skansen


Manager	1983-2009: Anders Wiklund 1983-1986: Ingvar Nylund 1970-1983: Tore Glemmefors


Key People	-1991: Hans Rosengardten (guide)
Zoological department

Directors	1996-2003: Bengt Rosén (zoologist)


Veterinarians	1982-1987: Torsten Mörner 1904-1954: Wilhelm Sahlstedt 1954-1982: Karl Borg 1983-1987: Torsten Mörner 1987-1992: Maud Palm

Head Zookeeper	1994-2016: Erland Wadsten 1983-1995: Leif Wicksell -1983: Anders Wiklund


Zookeeper	1989-1994: Erland Wadsten 1957: Anders Wiklund 1935-1945: Catharina Florman


Apprentice keeper	1990-1992: Susanne Ekblad 1990-1992: Martina Nagy 1990-1990: Chandana Perera 1988-1992: Ian Koehl 1976-1983: Dan Koehl 1970-1975: Sven Mellgren 1970-1974: Mikael Eriksson 1968: Michael Waxmann 1945-1955: Sven-Arne Borg 1930-1935: Catharina Florman

Elephant department
Head keepers of elephants
1986-1992: Dan Koehl 1984-1986: Bill Hemberg 1983-1984: Tommy Lambrell 1976-1983: Ingvar Nylund 1932-1975: Sven Borg

Elephant keepers
1990-1991: Pelle Zettersten 1989-1990: Bo Larsson 1989-1990: Jari Lönn 1988-1990: Jörgen Andersson 1986-1988: Kent Flodin 1983-1986: Dan Koehl 1976-1984: Bill Hemberg 1973-1983: Leif Wicksell 1963-1966: Percy Svensson 1961-1981: Mats Berg 1961-1976: Ingvar Nylund 1958-1959: Jan Rhodin 1938-1972: Roland Ackelman 1938-: Torsten Cellvander 1932: Tore Glemmefors 1931-1962: Sven Sundberg -: Åke Nordh -: Gösta Axaeus -: Lars Pettersson -: Willy Hallman : Anders Wiklund

Record history
History of updates	2025-04-14: 2025-04-14: 2026-02-11: 2026-02-11:

Latest document update	2026-02-11 17:52:03
Google map

From left: Nika, Pelle Zettersten, Dan Koehl and Shiva, during a walk on Skansen. Photo: Catharina Koch-Florman

Description

Stockholm Zoo (Skansen), located at Box 27807, in Stockholm, Sweden , was founded in 1891 and the first elephant arrived in 1930. The last elephant left in 1992..

Casualties

2 casualties

1984-06: elephant head-keeper Bill Hemberg attacked by Shiva. when Hemberg were cleaning the outdoor pool. Prssed him several times against a concrete wall. Bill Hemberg Survived. had teeh cracked, sever head wounds, and treated for concussion at Danderyd hospital, Stockholm.
1989: zookeeper Bo Larsson attacked by Shiva. during footcare. Pushed Larsson into a concrete wall. Bo Larsson Survived. treated for concussion at Karolinska hospital, Stockholm.

Comments / picturesSkansen is Sweden´s national Zoo and was founded 1891, not actually as a zoo, but as worlds first free-air museum exhibiting old cottages and houses from all over Sweden. In order to attract visitors, animals was also included in the concept, not only scandinavian, but also tropical Species.

The first elephant at Skansen was Topsy who came 1930 from Hagenbecks Tierpark, in Hamburg, together with a keeper, on loan during the summer. Topsy was a great success as ride-elephant and Skansen bought their first elephant Lunkentuss in 1931, adding Bambina in 1939.

Stockholm Zoo (Skansen) in Sweden Sweden

Stockholm Zoo (Skansen) in Sweden Sweden

Elephant Lunkentuss arrived in 1931, dead 1941.

Lunkentuss had to be shot 1941, and after Bambina was alone a couple of years, Fatima was bought in 1951, and in 1960 Nika was added. During some years Skansen kept three elephants.

Stockholm Zoo (Skansen) in Sweden Sweden

Noi was bought in 1967, after Bambina died January 1967 in Sepsis.

Fatima was sold to Ahlborg Zoo in Denmark, and Noi was sent to Copenhagen for cover in 1980, why Nika was single elephant from 1980 until 1984 when Shiva arrived from Circus Sariola in Finland. Nika became very dependant on her keepers during those years, and her social behaviour was fairly focused on soclai relationship with the staff. Every morning after keepers arrived, she wanted to stand and just greet the keeper, asking them by pulling them them close to her ear, to rumble into the ear on close distance.

Rumbling is of course one of the more common sounds between elephants, but not many keepers has used this way of communicating with their elephants, in order to strengthen the bonding.

Stockholm Zoo (Skansen) in Sweden Sweden

From middle eighties, except for winter months, the elephants were taken for walks around the zoo by the head keeper Dan Koehl four to five times a day, the morning walk through the forest outside the zoo, finishing with a bath in the Djurgårdsbrunn channel.

Skansen was among the first Zoos in Europa to keep their elephants unchained in night, from 1989, they were only tethered with chains for short training sessions, but walked free the whole night, thus making the stable of 86 m2 the largest night box for unchained elephants in Europe.

Stockholm Zoo (Skansen) in Sweden Sweden

The stable of 86 m2 was in 1991 the largest night box for unchained elephants in Free Contact in Europe.

The elephant house at Skansen was 86 square meter but the Swedish Board of Agriculture demand 200 square meters stable, and 2000 m2 outside enclosure, why Skansen was supposed to build a new house and a larger outer enclosure.

In 1992 Skansen decided to close their elephant department, a decision which became criticized in a campaign from Media and citizens of Stockholm, who feared the elephants would suffer or even die from a relocation. In spite of the efforts of the organization Rädda Skansens Elefanter, the Zoo realized their decision and Nika and Shiva was send to England.

Skansen gave their last elephants Nika and Shiva for free to Cricket St. Thomas wildlife Park in Somerset, UK, with the condition that Cricket paid and organized the transport.

21 year old Shiva died after three months, Nika after two years in Spain, where she was shipped after Cricket Zoo was prohibited to keep elephants.

References for records about Stockholm Zoo (Skansen)

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2026). Stockholm Zoo (Skansen), Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=30. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

Elefanten - Mein Leben, by Karl Kock
Dan Koehl
Perti Sariola, Finland
Erland Wadsten, Skansen
Article by Olaf Tietz, head elephantkeeper Zoo Rostock, Elefanten in Zoo und Circus magazine, nr 9-2006, p 30

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