Hey guys, I just heard this wild story about an elephant that lived in a Vegas casino back in the day. Apparently, her name was Tanya and she hung out at the Dunes in 1966. Can you imagine seeing an elephant trying to play slots or sitting at a blackjack table? That must have been quite a sight!
I heard she later moved to Circus Circus. But the craziest part is that she even made it to the big screen! Supposedly, she was in a James Bond movie called ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ from 1971.
Has anyone else heard about this? It seems so bizarre that a casino would have a resident elephant. I’m really curious about what her daily life was like and how the guests reacted to her. If anyone has more info or maybe even saw her back then, I’d love to hear about it!
yo, i actually heard about this elephant! my grandpa used to work at the dunes back then. he said tanya was a big hit with guests, but kinda smelly lol. apparently she had this huge pen out back and would do little ‘shows’ in the parking lot. crazy times man, cant imagine that flying today with all the animal rights stuff.
I’ve actually done some research on this fascinating bit of vegas history. tanya was indeed a real elephant who resided at the dunes casino in the 1960s. she was part of a larger trend of casinos using exotic animals as attractions to draw in customers.
from what i’ve read, tanya had a specially-built enclosure in the casino and was cared for by professional handlers. she would make appearances in the lobby and outdoor areas, but wasn’t allowed near the gaming floors for obvious reasons.
the james bond connection is accurate too. tanya appeared briefly in ‘diamonds are forever’ during a scene set at circus circus. it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but it’s there.
while it may seem glamorous, keeping large animals in such environments is now recognized as problematic. modern animal welfare standards would never allow for such a situation today. it’s an intriguing snapshot of a very different era in las vegas history.
Wow, what a wild story! I’ve heard some crazy things about old Vegas, but an elephant in a casino takes the cake!
I hadn’t heard about Tanya specifically, but it totally fits with the over-the-top vibe Vegas had back then. Can you imagine trying to gamble with an elephant trumpeting nearby? Talk about a distraction!
I’m super curious about how they took care of her. Like, did she have a special elephant-sized room? And what did she eat? I doubt they were feeding her peanuts from the bar, haha.
The James Bond cameo is pretty cool too. I wonder if she got her own trailer on set.
It’s kinda sad though, when you think about it. Elephants are such social creatures, and a casino’s probably not the best environment for them. At least nowadays we’re more aware of animal welfare.
Thanks for sharing this bizarre bit of history! It’s got me wanting to dig up more wacky Vegas stories now.
I’ve heard some crazy things about old Vegas, but an elephant in a casino takes the cake!