Big Bertha

**Big Bertha** or simply **Bertha** is an elephant from the *Jungle Cruise*. She is amongst the most recognizable characters from the Jungle Cruise.

## History

### Biography

Indian elephants have been a present population in *Adventureland* since ancient times with buddhists creating statues in their territory. Amongst these was a shrine of buddhist elephant-god Genesha built outside a Cambodian temple with the likeness of Mahaparamasaugata (c.1150–1160). They inhabited waters which generations earlier attracted elephants when mixologist Trader Sam dumped alcohol in its waters.

"Big Bertha" was a female Indian elephant in the 1930s. She had a reputation amongst skippers who passed through the region such as those of the Jungle Navigation Company. Bertha was most often seen bathing in a waterfall within the pool. By around 1936, an illustration of Bertha was included in the company's *Jungle Handbook for River Navigation*.

### Development history

Big Bertha was designed by Marc Davis for a refurbishment of the Jungle Cruise. Her name presumably comes from *Bertha the Elephant* (1945-1999), a performing-elephant best affiliated with the *Nugget Casino Resort* in Sparks, Nevada.. Many sources say that the scene repurposed an audio-animatronic wooly mammoth designed by Davis for the 1964 World's Fair attraction *Ford's Magic Skyway*, but this is not true.

## Appearances

### Adventure Trading Company

An illustration of Bertha was in the *Jungle Handbook for River Navigation*, a book traded by the titular colonial company to assist Skip Dockmonkey.

### Jungle Cruise

Bertha appears bathing in the elephant pool's waterfall. In the queue of the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise, she appears on an old map made by Frank Wolff and modified by Alberta Falls not long before the events of the attraction.

#### Jungle Cruise: Wildlife Expeditions

A photograph of Bertha is in the boathouse, labelling her as a, "Friend of the jungle".

### Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats

The miniature statue of an elephant in Bertha's pose appeared in this attraction.

### Skipper Canteen

In the library of the Skipper Canteen is a book titled, "Bathing with Elephants" by **Bertha Trunkstein**. There are also illustrations of Bertha in the menus.. Also in the menus is a food-item called, "Bertha's Banh Bong Lan Cake".

### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

Trader Sam has a post-card framed which reads, "*Sam, how do I get that big elephant out of the shower? She's been in there so long and using up all the hot water! -E*".

## In other media

### Promotional material

A 2010/2011 commercial for Californian ticket discounts had Big Bertha calling, "all clear" so that the animals of the Jungle Cruise could talk to each other.

### Video games

#### Disney Magic Kingdoms

Bertha appears in the design for the Jungle Cruise attraction.

### Paraphernalia

#### Jungle Cruise Adventure Game

Big Bertha's likeness is used for the, "**Bathing elephant**" obstacle card.

## Trivia

* The name Bertha has also sometimes been used for the African bull elephant.
* Bertha is also the name of the *Bomokandi Bertha*, one of the Jungle Cruise's more infamous boats.
* Big Bertha and Chief Nah-mee are two of the most recognizable individual characters from the Jungle Cruise.

## Gallery

Concept art by Marc DavisAn illustration of Bertha on the old maps for the Rivers of Adventure
## References

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69772924/bertha\_,-the-elephant
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/livelyland/status/1562478434755813377?s=21&t=fSEon41AvgxBCI8moMUhmA
3. ↑ https://momotraveljourney.wordpress.com/day-2-tokyo-disneyland/
4. ↑ https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2015/12/16/full-review-the-new-jungle-navigation-co-ltd-skipper-canteen-in-disney-worlds-adventureland/
5. ↑ https://davelandblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/disneyland-half-marathon-trip-report-pt.html
6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vux3YEWTzv8
7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i\_Akre03STk
8. ↑ https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/101284/ny-toy-fair-2020-vii-take-jungle-cruise-back-futur