Incredible path has started with rum and continued with onion, after that it has grown into one of the biggest stories of friendship between human and animal in Slovenia
This year world elephant day marked on Tuesday 12 August was celebrated very solemnly in Ljubljana ZOO; on Tuesday the 12 August one of the greatest and the most recognizable female inhabitants of Ljubljana, female elephant Ganga celebrated her 50th birthday.
Her half of the century old path has begun in remote India from where she has been brought to Slovenia after twenty days long voyage with ship in November 17 1977 as two years old orphan. It was cold winter full of snow when she arrived to Reka port along with nine other elephants. Among all ten of them it was Ganga who has been chosen for entering to Ljubljana. She got her name already on board, before reaching Slovenia. Purchasing Ganga was a challenging and expensive project; she costed 22.000 German Marks at remembers Vanda Zavrl at that time a young employee of Emona Commerce Company which organized the purchase. Ms Zavrl remembers how young Ganga refused to step out from her box to enter on truck. “We had been collecting different types of fruits in port of Reka trying to persuade Ganga to leave her box and to enter the truck. It was a hard task to convince her stepping out from her box and to enter the truck” remembers Ms Zavrl. It was Mr Tomaž Geršak technical director of the ZOO and Ganga’s first veterinary who toke care for safe voyage from port of Reka to Ljubljana; he mixed 1 liter of rum and 10 liters of water in bucket and served the mixture to Ganga. “Ganga did not hesitate, she drank the mixture as genuine Slovene” remembers Mr Geršak.
A path to Ganga’s hearth
Coming onto new environment had been a huge challenge for young elephant and for here caretakers. 1970s were are without Internet and with only little accessible knowledge about elephants. Experiences with other big mammals, patience and enthusiasm were necessary elements for establishing decent residential environment for Ganga. Ganga’s first caretaker Mr Mitja Gorjan remembers Ganga’s first day in Ljubljana ZOO claiming she was frightened and even aggressive, trying to squeeze him. But tense relation did not took a long time – already on the next day Mr Gorjan introduced onions to Ganga finding the way to her heart: “onion was the cheapest and the most accessible food, so we started with onion.” That very simple act has built a strong tie between both of them. Mr Gorjan describes Ganga as “3.500 kg of pure love”. He is very touched telling Ganga remembers him even after almost 50 years of their initial acquaintance. Gorjan adds they had put a huge intention to her skin and feets. “Keeping elephants feet and skin healthy is of crucial importance for elephants, neglecting it often appears as disastrous. We had been using sorghum brushes at that time, we didn’t have contemporary tools as they are available today. Animals which were known to us only from books had been coming to the ZOO at that time” told Mr Gorjan who expressed a gratitude to the contemporary Ganga’s caretakers.
As decades have passed the care towards Ganga and her wealth has become more and more based on expert knowledge. Mr Matija Ramšak Ganga’s caretaker since 1992 admits that his first enconterment with Ganga wasn’t very pleasant either; she intended to hit him with her snout, but she missed. “I can still remember a gust of wind next to my head when she intended to hit me. I turned myself around and saw her; she has been magnificent.” On that occasion a big love between them was born. The caretaker figured out, that Ganga is as all elephants are – very intelligent creature. Mr Ramšak who toke professional training on elephants in European School for Guidance of Elephants emphasizes here extreme intelligence and capability of prediction. He is also convinced that Ganga is the most beautiful female elephant on the whole World. One of elephants experts claims that is resembles to very rare “white elephants”.
“The most interesting or if you want the most scaring is that she is able to foresee what is going to happen. It has been figured out and confirmed that elephants are able to recognize themselves in mirror” reveals Mr Ramšak who focused himself on studying elephants. He has learned a lot about elephants. As he claims the most beneficial experience for him as elephant caretaker had been nine (9) days course held in Hamburg, Germany in the year 2007. Mr Ramšak stays often for longer time with Ganga even after his working time. When so he encourages Ganga to manifest different tricks. Ganga is able to pick up marked pillar when instructed so. She “gives” him her right foot and the caretaker steps on her foot and Ganga lift him up on her back. After that he rides her to her stable and they repeat the same exercise one again – this time descending from her back. When the exercise is finished she gets a dessert for a gift. Ganga can understand some verbal commands which are beneficial for her daily life and for veterinary care. As far as her caretaker is present anyone can approach her. It is up to her caretaker to recognized her attitude towards approaching people; if she signals she does not feel good, close meeting with visitor(s) has to be canceled.
Ganga’s Year
Celebration of Ganga’s 50th birthday was the highlight of the project “Gangha’s Year. Social event lead and guided by the leader of the project Ms Petra Vrh Vrezec has begun with Indian classical dance performed by dancing association Salam Ghazeea. Director of Ljubljana ZOO Ms Barbara Mihelič described Ganga as “special inhabitant of Ljubljana, icon, star, indisputable elder, matriarch of our animals collection.” She emphasized that many dedicated people including her caretakers, veterinarians, and nutritionists are required to be involve in her life to guarantee her well-being. His Excellency Mr Amit Narang, Ambassador of India in Slovenia participated on the social event. Ambassador extended gratitude to personnel of Lj ZOO for taking Ganga’s care. Ambassador has emphasized Ganga’s meaning which extends over conventional borders. According to Ambassador Ganga is neither Indian nor Slovenia – she belongs to something greater and more vast. “I consider her as a symbol of our human community and our common planet”. Ganga has been endowed with cake made of water-mellons and carrots and with new ball. And with a bunch of branches which are considered of vital importance for any elephant and for well being of its alimentary tract and health of teeth. Ljubljana ZOO produces enough hay for feeding Ganga all year long. One does not speak about small quantity of hay though. Average weight of Asian elephants out of captivity is between 1.500 and 1.800 kg. Being to heavy can lead to sever health problems. Over-weight is often a problem for elephants living in captivity.
Written story about elephants
All this and much more about elephants can be read in freshly launched book “Ganga – 50 years Ambassador of Elephants and endangered animal world”. Mr Ramšak caretaker with many years of experiences has explained about the initial idea which was launching a simple brochure. With time, the idea has been surpassed and a whole book “a unique document newer seen by the ZOO has been released”. Book’s chief editor Ms Petra Vrh Vrezec explained that the book can be initially bought only in Ljubljana ZOO. According to her the book is a unique mosaic of contributions and memories of several generations which have been involved with Ganga. In its first part the book reveals the background of Ganga’s caretaking from here devoted team. Second part reveals a broader view on elephants from scientific and cultural perspective in collaboration with experts from Natural History Museum of Slovenia, National Museum of Slovenia and other relevant institutions. This remarkable publication is not only a eulogy to Ganga but also emphasizes challenges and problems of in nature living elephants and responsibility of whole world to the global animals community.
After fifty (50) years Ganga remains a symbol of Ljubljana ZOO; she is ambassador of endangered species and beloved matriarch who inspires and connects with her presence. Story of her life, her common day, caretaking, training, interaction with human are on very picturesque way represented on special exhibition alongside Gallusovo nabrežje embankment in Ljubljana. The exhibition will take place till August 29.
Released by Dnevnik / Nedeljski, page 8, on Wednesday 20 August 2025, Author Ms Meta Černoga
