Chunee (also known as Chuny or Chuneelah; born c. 1804 – died 1 March 1826) was an Indian elephant in Regency London.
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.[1]: 190 Two other two elephants, also owned by Stephen Polito at some point, arrived in England. The first arrived in September 1809.[1]: 125
The second elephant was brought to England from Sri Lanka on the East India Company ship Walthamstow in June 1810.[1]: 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.[2]
Chunee arrived in 1811 (some sources mistakenly state 1810) and was originally exhibited at the Covent Garden Theatre,[1]: 190 but was bought by Polito (along with a two-headed cow, kangaroos, beavers, and exotic birds) from the estate of Gilbert Pidcock of the Exeter Exchange after Pidcock's death in 1810. After Polito's death, the menagerie was eventually purchased by Edward Cross in 1814. The events which led to Chunee being put down at Cross's orders 12 years later became a cause célèbre.
At the time of Chunee's death, when he was believed to be around 22 years old, he weighed at least 5 tonnes, stood between 10 and 11 feet tall, and was valued at £1,000. Cross had insured him for £500.