 Reference Base  Arrival of a Sumatran rhinoceros in the Zoological Gardens |
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Tegetmeier, W.B., 1872. Arrival of a Sumatran rhinoceros in the Zoological Gardens
 | In: Newman, E. Arrival of a Sumatran rhinoceros at the Zoological Gardens. Zoologist (2) 7: 3057-3060 |
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| Location: |
Captive - Europe |
| Subject: |
Captivity - Zoo Records |
| Species: |
Sumatran Rhino |
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For a most interesting account of the capture, purchase and transport of this valuable animal, I am indebted to the columns of the 'Field', to which paper it was contributed by my friend Mr. Tegetmeier. It is here reprinted.
'About five years ago a Calcutta paper announced the capture of a young female two-horned rhinoceros, which was taken near Chittagong after having exhausted itself in its efforts to escape from a quicksand. In this condition it was secured by the united efforts of some 200 men, and, being bound with ropes, was secured to a tree. On the arrival of the news at Chittagong, Capt. Hood and Mr. Wickes started with eight elephants to secure the prize, which was found to be the two-horned Sumatran species described by Sir Stamford Raffles. After being bound with ropes between the elephants, she was marched into Chittagong, having to be conveyed across two considerable rivers, through one of which she was towed by the elephants, and the second she passed in the ordinary cattle ferry-boat. So great was the attention she excited, that the train of followers sometimes reached a mile in length. Arrived at Chittagong, she was placed in charge of an attendant, and by feeding with chuppatees and plantain-leaves she became somewhat tamer. When first captured she was about six feet in length from the forehead to the root of the tail, and upwards of four feet in height. The horns were small, not more than three inches in length, the upper being in front of the eyes.
'The existence of the species became known to William Jamrach, a well-known natural-history collector, then located at Calcutta, who made three journeys to Chittagong to arrange for her purchase and transport. The animal was confined by ropes and chains some miles from Chittagong and, from her size and want of docility, the transport was attended with great difficulty. Fortunately she had become attached to her feeder, and followed him by night as he carried a lantern and proceeded singing through extemporised roads to Chittagong, the passage through the villages being forbidden by the authorities. There she was embarked with great difficulty in a small vessel, being chained down on the deck, and conveyed to calcutta. On her arrival she was so exhausted by her efoorts to escape that she lay down after being landed, and had to be dragged by main force into the bazaar.
'The transport to England was a matter of the greatest difficulty. The strength of the animal is so enormous that it would have been impossible to confine her in an ordinary stall, such as would have served for a horse, or even for a docile elephant. Jamrach therefore had a cage built of teak, in the strongest possible manner. The dimensions of this cage were twelve feet by nine feet, by eight feet high. As it now stands empty. in the Zoological Gardens, it looks as if it would serve for a very fair-sized country cottage. In this the animal safely reached England, in company with five small elephants, a couple of tigers, and a number of smaller animals of various kinds. On arrival at the Gardens, it was found that was no gate sufficiently wide to admit the cage and a portion of the inclosure had to be taken down to permit of the entrance of the huge and intractable beast, which, tied by large ropes, was, not without some considerable risk to all concerned, conducted to the inclosure where she will in all probability spend the remainder of her life.
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