It’s been said that elephants never forget and many in Yarmouth have also never forgotten Shirley the elephant – remembering her on her birthdays are now mourning her on her death.
Shirley was a much-beloved survivor of the 1963 circus ship fire that happened in Yarmouth’s harbour.
She died on Feb. 22 at the age of 72, at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where she had been cared for since first arriving in 1999.
She was the sanctuary’s oldest elephant and held the record for being the second oldest elephant in North America, according to the sanctuary’s website, which also said Shirley had lived well beyond the life expectancy of a captive Asian elephant.
On social media, people living in Yarmouth expressed sadness about the elephant’s passing. “Rest in peace Shirley. You were the epitome of resilience,” wrote a commenter on the We Love Yarmouth Facebook page.
Her passing also rekindled memories of the fire nearly 58 years ago.
The Tennessee sanctuary says through the years Shirley’s care had included such things as specialized foot soaks, daily arthritis supplements and cold laser therapy to reduce the discomfort associated with a long-ago broken leg, arthritis and other joint conditions.
She’d have sunscreen and botanica cream applied to her thinning skin to prevent or treat sunburn.
CHANGES IN SHIRLEY
In recent weeks, according to a posting on the sanctuary’s website, the staff and veterinary teams had noticed changes, particularly in her mobility.
“Many mornings when staff arrived at the barn, Shirley appeared bright, alert, and responsive, but into the afternoon would show increased signs of weakness, fatigue, and discomfort,” the website said.
Staff doted on her. She loved the affection.
“Jellybeans, a favourite treat, were offered with regularity recently,” the website stated. “Knowing that Shirley loved all but the liquorice-flavoured beans, staff would carefully pick them out from the bunch.”
By Sunday evening, Feb. 21, Shirley’s breathing had shallowed, and after laying down in a barn she showed no interest in getting up. She was given medications to keep her comfortable and died in the early morning hours of Monday, Feb. 22, surrounded by her caregivers.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Asian elephant, Shirley, at age 72.
— The Elephant Sanctuary (@ElephantsTN) February 23, 2021
Please join us in celebrating Shirley and her long and courageous life. https://t.co/Bp6yfcrxXg
SHIRLEY'S YARMOUTH CONNECTION
It’s a long way from the sanctuary in Tennessee, U.S.A. to Yarmouth, N.S.
But in this seaside town people have always felt an affection for Shirley that stems from that terrible incident on Yarmouth’s waterfront on June 12, 1963.
The freighter Fleurus – loaded with circus animals – caught fire while docked on Yarmouth’s waterfront. Owned by Al G. Kelly and Miller Brothers Circus, the ship had visited Yarmouth for two circus performances held the day before at the exhibition grounds. The Fleurus has been converted to house elephants, lions, leopards, bears, llamas, zebras, horses, trained dogs and other animals. The plan was for the diesel-motored ship to tour the East Coast of North America visiting port towns.
While still docked in Yarmouth, preparing to leave for Shelburne, a fire broke out in the engine room with the animals on board.
Firefighters not only had to battle the fire, but they and others had to get the animals off of the boat – including Shirley.
As luck would have it, the tide and starboard list of the ship allowed rescuers to lay heavy planks from the boat to the wharf, giving the elephants a path to be rescued.
A heavy crane, being used in the construction of a new public wharf, was used to unload animals in their cages.
As a precautionary measure – reads information in a booklet about the fire at the Firefighters Museum of Nova Scotia in Yarmouth – fire chief Ron Poole had several firefighters stand by with armed rifles in case they encountered trouble with some of the wild animals that could have posed a risk to the public.
The first cage hoisted from the burning, sinking vessel held two lions. The sling the crane was using did break but the lions remained in the cage – much to the relief of those present.
One animal, a zebra, died trapped onboard the vessel as it sank in the harbour.
It was the only animal to die that day.
At the firefighters museum in Yarmouth, photos are on display along with two life rings from the vessel. Photographs in the museum’s collection include photos of the elephants, including Shirley.
During the fire, Shirley sustained severe burns to her back and legs and lost part of her right ear.
Firefighters museum curator Dave Darby says over the decades there has been continued interest in ‘The Circus Ship Fire,’ which is how locals refer to the incident. But as time goes by and people age, he says the inquiries about it aren’t as frequent compared to decades ago.
Asked what people found interesting about the fire, Darby said museum staff would, “always talk about Shirley, of course.”
“Also a lot of people are amazed only one animal passed,” he said. “A lot of people comment on the photo of the firefighters holding the guns.”
The circus ship fire was one of several major fires in Yarmouth in 1963. Another major fire occured in November of that year, wiping out eight businesses in downtown Yarmouth.
SHIRLEY'S LIFE AFTER THE FIRE
Shirley, who had first been captured in the wild at a very young age and sold to a circus, continued to perform in circuses after the fire in Yarmouth. Years later her right hind leg was broken in an altercation with another elephant while travelling with the Lewis Brothers Circus. Several bones in her leg fused together, creating an abnormal angle and shape. She performed for two more years before being sold to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. She was the sole elephant at the zoo for 22 years.
On July 6, 1999, Shirley became the fourth resident of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, joining elephants Tarra, Jenny and Barbara.
When Shirley arrived at the sanctuary the behaviour and interaction between her and Jenny was unlike anything the sanctuary had seen before. To the staff’s surprise and delight, after researching transfer and ownership records, they learned the two elephants’ had spent time together at a circus, decades earlier.
Sadly Jenny died a few years after their reunion.
When Shirley turned 70 years old in the summer of 2018, her birthday was not only celebrated at the sanctuary, but a birthday party in her honour was also held at the Yarmouth County Museum.
“Shirley survived the circus life, survived the Fleurus ship fire, and has survived all these years so it’s only fitting we have a party in her honour,” museum curator Nadine Gates had said at the time.
The event included birthday cake, punch, and some of Shirley’s favourite treats – watermelon and bananas.
After Shirley’s death at the sanctuary on Feb. 22, the sanctuary says other elephants – part of her Asian elephant herd – came to say their goodbyes. One elephant named Sissy visited briefly, but another named Tarra quietly spent hours by her side.
“The sanctuary is deeply honoured to have provided care for Shirley for 21 years. We thank Shirley’s many supporters, fans, and friends who have shared her story, who have loved her from afar,” said the sanctuary’s CEO Janice Zeitlin in a posting on the website. “Shirley leaves an enduring legacy marked by a truly remarkable life. She will be deeply missed by all.”
(With files in story by Carla Allen.)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY BY CLICKING HERE
Shirley passed away peacefully in the early hours of Monday morning, surrounded by her loving Caregivers. Afterward, Sissy visited Shirley briefly and Tarra spent nearly four hours in the early morning, quietly by Shirley’s side.
— The Elephant Sanctuary (@ElephantsTN) February 23, 2021
