1916: Miss Jim, the St. Louis Zoo's first celebrity, parades into town
On April 5, 1916, Miss Jim the elephant arrived at the St. Louis Zoo. She immediately sat down, curled her trunk and offered to shake hands with her admirers. She was an immediate hit. Â
The St. Louis Zoo has had its share of celebrity animals. We turned back the clock to look at Miss Jim and came up with a Walk of Fame of our favorites. Are we missing any of yours?
Kalista
Kalista delivered a whopping litter of five Amur tiger cubs in 2008. Keepers worried whether the first-time mom could handle the daunting duties, but she proved unflappable as her cubs nipped at her heels. The two males were since moved to Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kan. The critically endangered offspring are considered among the most genetically important in North America.
A chain of events started by a small, unleashed dog may have contributed to Rani's death.