THE death of Perth Zoo’s Tricia the elephant this month prompted a lot of reflection about the ethics of keeping intelligent animals in zoos, but it wasn’t long ago that her fellow elephants were paraded around local parks for our amusement.

After Tricia’s death Vincent’s Local History Centre historians dug out this image from the 1950s donated by Helen Cozens, showing elephants on display in Sutherland Park in West Perth. The elephants were owned by Bullen’s Travelling Circus, and were typically kept chained around one foot while on display.

Photo from the Vincent Local History Collection PH03501