Ganesia - San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, TX - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

Lucky is the only live elephant at the San Antonio Zoo. A few years ago, Boo, another female elephant, died of cancer, leaving only Lucky as the elephant attraction for kids and adults alike. Lucky is 51 years old at this posting, but there is at least one baby elephant nearby that may keep at least the children satisfied with seeing an elephant. There is a bronze sculpture of a baby elephant standing near a tree, outside the live elephant enclosure. The sculpture of the little pachyderm was cast in 1993 and dedicated at the zoo that same year, It is a favorite of children to pose atop the head or the wide back of the bronze baby. Makes for a Kodak moment for parents.
This baby elephant is just over 3 feet tall, just under 2 feet wide, and is 5 feet long from trunk to tail. However, during the heat of the summer in San Antonio, the bronze does get hot to the touch, so parents, be careful before plunking your tender-skined youngster on top of hot bronze. You could get a different expression on your photo than you had hoped for!
Donna Dobberfuhl is a local San Antonio artist who excels in animal/wildlife sculptures.

Additional sources:
(visit link)

TITLE: Ganesia, (sculpture) ARTIST(S): Donna Dobberfuhl, sculptor; Stevens Art Foundry, founder DATE: 1993; dedicated Aug 25, 1993 MEDIUM: Sculpture: bronze; Base: concrete CONTROL NUMBER: IAS TX000374 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: San Antonio Zoological Gardens and Aquarium 3903 N St Marys Street San Antonio, TX 78212 (north of the main entrance, about half way through the zoo grounds.) DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: The 20 years since the SIRIS entry for Ganesia by Donna Dobberfuhl has seen many changes, revisions, and additions to the design and layout of the San Antonio zoo. The Hitzfelder Memorial Garden plaque that is mentioned in the write-up for the bronze elephant sculpture is not neat the elephant. The bronze elephant is not in a garden setting, but is in a walkway that passes in front of the present elephant enclosure. Not sure the placque had any thing to do with the elephant anyway.

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   08/24/2022 Wafflemaster135 visited it 04/18/2013 WayBetterFinder visited it

View all visits/logs