{"id":1474,"date":"2025-05-04T07:07:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T07:07:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zoologycompendium.com\/?page_id=1474"},"modified":"2025-06-27T06:53:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T06:53:20","slug":"inspiring-pioneers-of-the-elephant-world","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/zoologycompendium.com\/?page_id=1474","title":{"rendered":"Inspiring Pioneers of the Elephant World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Val<\/a>
(Left)Trainer Val DeLeon & Kimi (late 50s?), Early (3rd) elephant at the Oakland Zoo. (Right CIRCA 1970’s) <\/strong><\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Val Deleon, Oakland Zoo Elephant Specialist & Consultant – 42 Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

February 14, 1922 -April 11, 2021<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seen (right) during an exhibition of exercise with Kimi (Elephas Maximus Borneensis) at antique elephant set in Oakland Zoo.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In the early 90’s my grandfather’s elephant habitat: Mali Ya ya Tiembo elephant set opened up, at last. This “habitat” was reknown for it’s natural design and many more habitats followed right up to this day. He always told me about his ideas for more natural settings in the habitat sets, and it looks as if he was right on time with that…..Most Respect.<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First Elephant Trainer in North America To Single Stud 4 African Females at the same time, bred the first African Elephant Born in North America. From the Oakland Zoo Val performed the only African elephant show of it’s kind in north America. The role of animals in our world started with entertainment, and it is through this entertainment, that people all over the world have come to know & love elephants, and become aware of their plight in the wild and their conservation. Now is the time for conservation to hybrid with interaction. Interaction with elephants allows the extent of their intelligence to be appreciated, and their importance in the world to be recognized. Imagine a person that is able, observe AND interact. The knowledge accrued through observation is paramount to two way communication with these key species as to learn: What are they saying? There is no substitute for trust, contact & interaction, as this is how elephants live amongst themselves, trust, contact & interaction. I believe elephants may even be sentient enough to consciously help in their own conservation and protection to avoid extinction, but we’ll never know until we start a conversation. Does learning “Elephant” count as a foreign language credit?…..<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Discover the specialists<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Elephant Giants<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tame Elephant, care & study<\/strong>, elephants in film<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robert “Smokey” Jones Professional Elephant Trainer – Circus<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jan. 2, 1927 – June 21, 2002<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Link to Circus and Side Shows: https:\/\/www.circusesandsideshows.com\/performers\/smokeyjones.html<\/mark><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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(Above Left) One of my grandfather’s very best friends, Mr. Smokey Jones with the Circus So much so, he named “Smokey” the Oakland zoo elephant after Mr. Smokey Jones.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

(Above Middle) Smokey Jones Asian Elephant herd. (Epic Respect).<\/strong><\/em> (Above Right) So. Cal, Val & Mr. Smokey with Smokey the Elephant of the Oakland Zoo.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

William “Buckles” Woodcock Jr<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

February 26, 1935 – March 02, 2023<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Buckles<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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(Above) Another Circus Giant: Buckles Woodcock. Another One of my grandfather’s good friends. Every time the circus came to town, we always went backstage! So exciting! Absolutely Brilliant man. – Epic Respect.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Link to Buckles Blog: https:\/\/bucklesw.blogspot.com\/2023\/03<\/mark><\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Link to Circus and Sideshows: https:\/\/www.m.circusesandsideshows.com\/performers\/buckles-woodcock.html<\/mark><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If not for these pioneers, how would the rest of the world become so familiar with elephants, or any animal for that matter & ever had the opportunity to meet & love elephants? As of this minute in fact, so many of the world’s species are falling into the disappearing death, while most people are ignorant to the fact. Why?, maybe there’s not enough wildlife exposure to interest human attention in comparison their own survival? As we all know, it’s a good thing we have some here in the americas, because the slaughter in their own world is horrific. If it was not for these pioneers, as well as those who keep it going, & keep the interest, our elephant friends would have been slaughtered down in silence. While these elephants were in the circus getting cared for, their wild counterparts were being annihilated by poachers for ivory to fund civil wars. African poaching still happening. In this present day elephants in Borneo face the same poacher threat, only this time none are safe. Males are killed for tusks, females and calves are killed for skin and meat, palm tree plantations have destroyed all but one natural waterway for them, interrupted their food supply & elephant corridors, not to mention the gunshots, snare traps they suffer frequently. The environmental stressors eventually affect the elephants health, if they’re not slaughtered first.<\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gunther Gebel-Williams<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

September 12, 1934 – July 19, 2001<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Epic Respect<\/em><\/mark><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Link to:<\/mark>https:\/\/www.circopedia.org\/Gunther_Gebel-Williams<\/mark><\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Next Generation<\/em><\/strong>….<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The Preserve<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.visitthepreserve.com<\/mark><\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Legacy Animal Professionals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Graceful Retirement – Tennessee Reserve<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee Sanctuary<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Human “Allmothers” in the Wild<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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