Elephant in the zoom

By Sarah Booth

Published in The Herald Sun

28 February 2021

ELEPHANTS are not typically found in the Yarra River, but for John Casamento unusual scenes were all part of a day's work. 

The former Herald Sun photographer's snap of the circus animal's bath time routine is one of the many pictures featured in his upcoming book Never Work With Animals or Children. 

It provides a snapshot of his 36 years at the paper, but Mr Casamento jokes he had so much fun he never worked a day. 

He said he loved climbing the three sets of stairs to the third floor, wondering what that day would hold. 

"I loved going to the zoo to see the baby gorilla ... he was always so happy," he said. "The gorillas were so unpredictable, sometimes they'd throw something at you." 

But the book wasn't just a chance to wander down memory lane and will help Mr Casamento raise money for research into complex heart surgery. 

His 19-year-old grandson Noah Thorley was born with "half a heart" but given a chance at a "normal life" thanks to revolutionary Fontan surgery. 

Mr Casamento said proceeds from the book would be donated to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, which would then fund RCH research. He said it was his way to give back to the Royal Children's Hospital for saving not only his grandchild's life, but "many more" children too. 

 Captions: (Clockwise from main) fun on a Melbourne beach; chihuahua Beau; a stolen kiss; injured animals at Carboor Wildlife Shelter; the face of regret on a boy atop a deer by the Yarra River; sambar deer in the Yarra Valley; pug puppy Elvis; competitive spirit at the national junior archery championships; premature IVF triplets; circus elephant Abu gets a scrubdown; the Australian Navy vessels open day at Station Pier.