Jumbo the elephant, living at the London Zoo, topped out at 11 feet, six inches tall and 13,000 pounds . P. T. Barnum made an offer to the London Zoo that superintendent A.D. Bartlett could not refuse in 1880. Jumbo was off to become a celebrity in America for the sum of $10,000. By todayâs standards, Barnum forked over more than $227,000 for the worldâs largest elephant in captivity. On Sept. 15, 1885, Jumbo was out for a walk to get some exercise along some railroad tracks in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. Not used to the footing, the giant tripped, fell, and impaled himself on his own tusks. Jumbo died instantly next to Scott, his most loyal and faithful human companion. An oncoming train couldnât stop in time, and it hit the already-dead elephant as if to add insult to his injuries. Jumbo was 26 years old, far short of the 60 to 70 year lifespan of African elephants in the wild. rochestermilitary.com