Eloise Berchtold: Circus Animal Trainer History and Research Sources

When I first came across Eloise Berchtold’s name while researching Elephant Mountain, I had no idea I was about to uncover one of the most remarkable and deliberately buried stories in circus history. This page lists the books, articles, archives, and other references I used to research her life and career. A legendary circus animal trainer and performer, Eloise’s most notable acts included the elephant troupes The Tuskers of Thailand and The African Trio, as well as Peace in the Jungle, a groundbreaking performance combining several species of big cats, bears, and German shepherds. Her life ended tragically during a circus show in Quebec in 1978, when she was killed by Teak (Packy’s brother), an elephant she helped raise from the age of two. Eloise shared her life with Morgan Berry on Elephant Mountain for over a decade—a chapter of her story that, until now, has never been told.

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Eloise Berchtold working alongside the African elephant KOA early in her careet as a circus trainer.

Eloise Berchtold was one of the first people (and the first woman) to train an African elephant. The photograph is of her and Koa, one of the earliest performing elephants in the United States. Eloise was best known for working with big cats—lions, tigers, and leopards—in the ring at the same time–when that world was owned by men. Photo credit: Unknown.

Eloise Berchtold’s History

This section explores Eloise Berchtold’s early life, her journey toward becoming one of the greatest circus animal trainers of all time, and highlights from her experiences.

  1. Alexander, Shana. The Astonishing Elephant. New York: Random House, 2000.
  2. Bordez, Claude, and Giovanni Iuliani. Dernier Tour de Piste. Paris: JCL, 2002.
  3. “Cuneo Heir is Married to Woman Lion Tamer.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, February 29, 1956, p. 3.
  4. Detzel, Helen M. “You Don’t ‘Tame’ Lions.” Cincinnati Magazine, December, 1973.
  5. “Elephant Returns to Portland with Damaged Eye.” The Oregonian, February 14, 1976, p. 15.
  6. Foster, Joan. “She Calls Those Big Cats’ Bluff.” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 2, 1958, p. 9.
  7. “John Cuneo Weds.” The Holland Evening Sentinel (Holland, Michigan), February 29, 1956, p. 2.
  8. Laidman, Jenni. “Zoo Chimps Cope with Death in the Family Keeper Becomes One with Dwindling Troop Members.” The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), April 2, 2000, pp. A1-5.
  9. Macpherson, Malcolm. The Cowboy and His Elephant. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2002.
  10. Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Back to Africa. Johannesburg: Southern Book Publishers, 1989.
  11. Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Elephants for Africa. Auckland Park, South Africa: Abu Publications, 2000.
  12. Richards, Leverett. “In the Center Ring…The Only Woman Animal Trainer in the United States.” The Oregonian, February 4, 1973.
  13. Sharp, Nancy. “She’s Boss in Big Cage.” Oakland Tribune, June 10, 1966, p. 49.
  14. Warnick, Charles. “She’s Fearless! This Teen-Age Animal Trainer When Spiders Are Absent.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, June 17, 1951, p. 80.

Eloise Berchtold’s Death

The following sources uncover the details surrounding Eloise Berchtold’s tragic death, which have long been obscured by conflicting accounts and a misrepresentation of the true circumstances.

  1. Beard, Marvin. “Former Cincinnatian Killed by Elephant During Circus.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, May 7, 1978, p. 1.
  2. Bordez, Claude, and Giovanni Iuliani. Dernier Tour de Piste. Paris: JCL, 2002.
  3. Bosse, Madeleine. “A Rivalry Between Elephants.” La Tribune (Sherbrooke, Quebec), May 8, 1978.
  4. Bosse, Madeleine. “They Mourn a Sister.” La Tribune (Sherbrooke, Quebec), May 8, 1978.
  5. Bozarth, Cliff. “Everybody Has a Story: Working on Woodland Elephant Farm was Unusual Job.” The Columbian News (Vancouver, Washington), April 2, 2023. https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/apr/02/everybody-has-a-story-working-on-elephant-farm-was-unusual-job/
  6. “Circus Animals Killed.” The Spokesman Review (Spokane, Washington), May 9, 1978.
  7. “Circus Owner Vows He Will Never Use Elephants Again.” The Expositor (Ontario, Quebec), May 9, 1978, p 7.
  8. “Elephant Shot After Trampling Trainer to Death.” The Oregonian, May 7, 1978.
  9. Forgues, Daniel. “An Elephant Kills Its Trainer in Rock Forest.” La Tribune (Sherbrooke, Quebec), 2008, p. 7.
  10. Fudakowska, Anna. “I’ll Never Use Elephants Ever Again.” The Sherbrooke Record (Sherbrooke, Quebec), May 8, 1978, p. 1.
  11. Gagne, Jean-Jacques. “An Elephant That Has Already Killed Can Kill Again, Said the Circus Manager.” The Montreal Matin (Montreal, Quebec), May 8, 1978, p. 8.
  12. “The Gatini Circus Presents An Entirely New Show.” Ľ Ècho de Frontenac (Lac-Mégantic, Quebec), May 2, 1978.
  13. Iuliani, Giovanni. “Eloise Berchtold’s Last Performance.” Bandwagon (Columbus, Ohio), Nov-Dec 2003, pp. 36-39.
  14. Maberry, Matthew, Patricia Maberry, and Michelle Trappen. Packy & Me. Beaverton, Oregon: Maberry Press, 2011.
  15. Marcus, Wendy. “Wild Animal Owner On Way Home From Canada.” The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), May 10, 1978.
  16. Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Back to Africa. Johannesburg: Southern Book Publishers, 1989.
  17. Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Elephants for Africa. Auckland Park, South Africa: Abu Publications, 2000.
  18. Noles, B.J. “One More Tale…” The Sunday Oregonian, May 28, 1978, p. 22.
  19. Pole, Corinna. “Don’t Go to the Circus.” The Record (Sherbrooke, Quebec), August 19, 2009, p. 2
  20. Rivard, Jean-Pierre. Coroner’s Report in Case of Investigations: Eloise Berchtold. Magog, Quebec, Canada. Coroner’s Office of Magog, Judicial District of St. Francois, May 5, 1978.
  21. “Savage Animals Treated Savagely: SPA.” The Record (Sherbrooke, Quebec), August 27, 2008, p. 3.
  22. Saint-Jacques, Pierre. “Cost $40,000 and 30,000 Pounds.” La Tribune (Sherbrooke, Quebec), May 8, 1978, p. 26.
  23. Schmidt, Michael, DVM. Jumbo Ghosts: The Dangerous Life of Elephants in the Zoo. Chicago: Xlibris Corp, 2002.
  24. Talburt, Lane. “From Frying Pan to Fire: Ruffin Switches to Vargas.” Bandwagon (Columbus, Ohio), Sept-Oct 2007, pp. 25-27.

Inaccurate Reports of Eloise Berchtold’s Death

I was surprised to learn that Eloise’s death was anything but straightforward. One of the first inconsistencies I uncovered was the near-total absence of firsthand reporting in the U.S., even though Eloise was attacked by an elephant in the middle of a circus performance witnessed by hundreds of people. Yet, I could not find a single interview or newspaper account from anyone who had actually been there until I gained access to a Canadian database. I felt it was important to present these inaccurate sources in the hope of correcting the historical record once and for all.

  1. Beard, Marvin. “Former Cincinnatian Killed by Elephant During Circus.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, May 7, 1978, p. 1.
  2. “Elephant Shot After Trampling Trainer to Death.” The Oregonian, May 7, 1978.
  3. Fudakowska, Anna. “I’ll Never Use Elephants Ever Again.” The Sherbrooke Record (Sherbrooke, Quebec), May 8, 1978, p. 1.
  4. Maberry, Matthew, Patricia Maberry, and Michelle Trappen. Packy & Me. Beaverton, Oregon: Maberry Press, 2011.
  5. Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Back to Africa. Johannesburg: Southern Book Publishers, 1989.
  6. Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Elephants for Africa. Auckland Park, South Africa: Abu Publications, 2000.
  7. Richards, Leverett. Elephants Don’t Snore. Vancouver, Washington: Rose Wind Press, 1996.