Chunee

Chunee (or Chuny) was an Indian elephant who was brought to Regency London in 1811.

Three elephants were brought to England in East India Company ships between 1809 and 1811. The third of these was Chunee. He travelled on the East Indiaman, Astell, from Bengal, arriving in England in July 1811.^: 190

The other two elephants, also owned by Stephani Polito at some point, arrived in England in September 1809,^: 125 and June 1810.^: 186

Mr Polito ... has obtained possession of a remarkably fine Elephant, brought to England in the Hon. East India Company's ship, Winchelsea, Capt. William Moffat, which will be exhibited at Rumsey [sic] fair on Monday; and it is expected he will be offered for public inspection for a day or two, in this town [Winchester], on his way to the Exeter 'Change London.

— Hampshire Chronicle, 23 April 1810

The second elephant was brought to England from Sri Lanka on the East India Company ship Walthamstow in June 1810.^: 186

Chunee was originally exhibited at the Covent Garden Theatre,^: 190 but was bought by circus owner Stephani Polito to join his menagerie at Exeter Exchange on the Strand in London. The menagerie was bought by Edward Cross in 1817. The events in which the elephant was put to death in 1826 became a cause célèbre.