History Extra podcast King Leopold's elephant expedition: a story of colonialism in Congo
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Feb 28, 2025 Sophy Roberts, a journalist and author of "A Training School for Elephants," delves into the 1879 expedition commissioned by King Leopold II of Belgium to transport Asian elephants to the Congo. She exposes the colonial motivations behind this ambitious yet misguided mission. Roberts shares her personal reflections on the haunting legacy of Leopold’s exploitation and its impact on both elephants and local cultures. The discussion highlights the troubling intersection of colonial ambition and the natural world, revealing the complex, often tragic outcomes of this historical event.
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Leopold's Elephant Scheme
- King Leopold II wanted to establish a transport system in Africa to extract resources.
- Asian elephants were imported because there was no tradition of using African elephants for work.
Discovering a Lost History
- Sophy Roberts discovered this story while working in the northeast Congo in 2015.
- She found remnants of King Leopold II's elephant training school, inspiring her to research its history.
A Continent in Flux
- The expedition coincided with the final days of the Arab slave trade and increased European exploration in Africa.
- Technological advances like the Suez Canal and steamships facilitated faster travel and communication.