circus elephant

12 Stories

Escaped Circus Elephant Goes Exploring in Montana Town

Viola the Asian elephant, spooked by a car backfire, was later reunited with her mate

(Newser) - An elephant literally wandered the streets of Butte, Montana, on Tuesday before she was returned to the circus from which she escaped. The pachyderm had quite the adventure, carefully treading across multi-lane roads, visiting the parking lot of a casino, leaving what NBC Montana calls "a surprise" on a...

Nation's Last 4 Circus Elephants Just Got Good News

Denmark will pay to send them into a comfy retirement

(Newser) - Ramboline, Lara, Djunga, and Jenny should be jumping for joy with the news that Denmark's last four circus elephants are now government property. The country's Ministry of Environment and Food has paid two circuses the equivalent of $1.6 million to acquire the elephants, reports the BBC . Their...

Circus Truck Crash Causes Animal Welfare Outcry

Spain accident kills 1 elephant, injures 4

(Newser) - Authorities in southern Spain say an elephant has died and four others are recovering from injuries after a circus truck tipped over on a major highway, provoking an outcry among animal rights defenders. The truck overturned on Monday on the highway linking Albacete with Murcia after overtaking another long vehicle,...

Ringling Elephants Taking an Early Retirement Package

Touring pachyderms will head to Florida in May instead of waiting for 2018

(Newser) - The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is ending its elephant acts a year and a half early and will retire all of its touring elephants in May. The move comes amid increasing scrutiny on circus elephant acts, with local governments passing "anti-circus" and "anti-elephant" ordinances in...

Elephants Rescue Stranded Truck in Louisiana

They pushed to stop big rig toppling over

(Newser) - Two circus elephants being taken from New Orleans to Dallas helped out instead of making a break for freedom when the 18-wheeler carrying them ran into trouble. Police in Natchitoches Parish, La., say they received a call about a stranded truck on Interstate 49 and when they arrived, they were...

Elephant Sanctuary Founder Crushed by Old Friend

Former juggler Jim Laurita gave circus animals a home

(Newser) - The remarkable life of Jim Laurita, a circus juggler turned veterinarian who founded an elephant sanctuary to care for his old friends, has been brought to a premature end by one of the animals he loved. The 56-year-old was found dead yesterday at the Hope Elephants sanctuary in Hope, Maine,...

Circus Elephants Escape, Go on Mini Rampage

At least 2 vehicles damaged after they slip handlers at Moolah Shrine Circus

(Newser) - Three circus elephants got a little taste of freedom and hooliganism yesterday when they apparently slipped their handlers at Moolah Shrine Circus and went on a mini rampage in a St. Louis parking lot, reports StLToday.com . At least two vehicles were damaged, though one witness makes it sound more...

Ringling Pays $270K Animal Welfare Fine

Circus mistreated elephants and tigers, feds say

(Newser) - The Ringling Brothers circus—without admitting wrongdoing—has paid $270,000 to settle federal accusations that it mistreated elephants, tigers, zebras, and other exotic animals. Federal inspectors found that a sick elephant was forced to perform, elephants' faces were cut by sharp edges in transport trailers, big cats were kept...

Ringling Circus Elephant Collapses

Sarah, 54, is seriously ill and needs treatment: animal activists

(Newser) - A Ringling Brothers elephant collapsed as she was being loaded onto a circus train, triggering cries of abuse. The spectacle in Anaheim was captured on film by animal rights activists who were keeping an eye on circus activities. Circus spokesmen claimed that 54-year-old Asian elephant Sarah merely tripped and was...

Circus Elephant Helps Clean Up Joplin

Animal drags ruined vehicles

(Newser) - In tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri, a brief moment of whimsy. The Atlantic Wire points to the video below, which shows an elephant helping with clean-up efforts. According to the YouTube user who uploaded the video, the animal is part of the Picadilly Circus, which was scheduled to perform but cancelled after...

Worker Caught Beating Circus Elephant

Annie whacked repeatedly by cruel minder

(Newser) - A British circus worker has been filmed repeatedly kicking and slamming a docile elephant with a pitchfork in her face and body as she was chained in her enclosure. The film of 57-year-old Asian elephant Annie was taken by Animal Defenders International and has triggered a joint investigation by local...

Runaway Elephant Goes Swimming, Shopping

Footloose pachyderm tours downtown Zurich

(Newser) - An escaped elephant went on a tour of downtown Zurich yesterday evening, spending an hour on the loose before police apprehended her. Sabu, a 26-year-old female from the Swiss national circus, cooled off in Lake Zurich before roaming the streets of the business district and doing a little window-shopping on...

12 Stories
Most Read on Newser