Dunk (c. 1861 – March 30, 1917),
["Dunk, Zoo Elephant, Hurt, Is Shot, And Children Mourn Death of Pet", ''Washington Post'', March 31, 1917.] a tuskless, male
Asian Elephant possibly from
Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
(now Sri Lanka), was the first elephant to reside at the
National Zoo in Washington, D.C. He was given to the National Zoo on April 30, 1891 by
James E. Cooper, owner and manager of the
Adam Forepaugh Circus.
When Dunk first arrived at the National Zoo, he had no shelter and was tied to a tree with his companion
Gold Dust
Gold dust is fine particles of gold.
Gold dust may also refer to:
Animal
*Gold Dust (elephant) (1873–1898), male Asian elephant that was kept in the National Zoo in the late 19th century
*Gold dust day gecko, a subspecies of geckos which live ...
to prevent him from wandering. Once a day, both elephants were walked to
Rock Creek Rock Creek or Rockcreek may refer to:
Streams
United States
* Rock Creek (California)
* Rock Creek (Fountain Creek tributary), Colorado
* Rock Creek (Idaho)
* Rock Creek (Kankakee River tributary), Illinois
* Rock Creek (Wapsipinicon River tribut ...
to swim. A temporary structure, known as the Octagonal House, was eventually built for the elephants. Construction on a permanent, brick elephant house, designed by
Hornblower & Marshall, began in September 1902 and was completed in January 1903.
Dunk was ill throughout the winter of 1917. On March 30, 1917, after Dunk broke his shoulder in a fall, keeper William Blackburne
euthanized
Animal euthanasia (euthanasia from el, εὐθανασία; "good death") is the act of killing an animal or allowing it to die by withholding extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditio ...
him by shooting.
Despite a famous ill-temper, Dunk was popular with the children of Washington, D.C. To commemorate his memory, they raised money for a plaque, which remains in the elephant house at the National Zoo today.
See also
*
List of individual elephants
References
{{reflist
External links
Smithsonian online catalog image of Gold Dust (left) and Dunk (right) taking a walk togetherSmithsonian online catalog image of Dunk's elephant houseAnother Smithsonian online catalog image of Dunk's elephant house
1861 animal births
1917 animal deaths
Deaths by firearm in Washington, D.C.
Individual elephants
Individual animals in the United States
Elephants in the United States