“Gaba” the Indian Elephant

The Indian Elephant „Gaba” displayed in the large room of the museum, also called the “Elephant Room” of the Natural History Museum of the Al.I. Cuza University Iasi belonged to the Italian circus Luzzatto, which was on tour in Iasi at the end of 1834. The elephant died because of the cold and was bought for 135 ducats for the Prince’s Palace. At the instance of Iacob Czihac, the founder of the Museum, the prince Grigore Mihail Sturdza accepted to donate the elephant to the Museum. The preparator Wilhelm Fleck cleaned and assembled the elephant skeleton. A letter dated “Jassy Oktober 1861” was found inside the elephant on December 12, 1958, when restoration works were done. We quote: “This elephant died in 1834 and its skin was prepared in October 1861. A locksmith from Siret rebuilt the skeleton, the furniture manufacturer Ferdinand Klaruber of Prague, Bohemia, performed the woodwork and I, Mathias Kieser of Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, preparator, adjusted and assembled the skin.”

Elaphas maximus, Linnaeus 1758 Ord. PROBOSCIDEA, ELEPHANTIDAE family Iasi, 1835

© Natural History Museum of the Al.I. Cuza University Iasi