One of the elephants injured a trainer, who had to be airlifted to hospital, as confirmed by police: Trainer seriously injured after elephant attack at Ontario's African Lion Safari Trainer attacked by elephant at African Lion Safari Original Police Tweet
The trainer is recovering in hospital. Also, the zoo will be suspending elephant rides until the investigation into the attack is finished, something I applaud but hope will be permanent. African Lion Safari trainer recovering from elephant attack
This happened early in the afternoon, so too early to involve the long walk and swim. The man attacked sounds very much like the trainer I remember being in charge of demonstrations, both swims, and the matriarchal group on display up near the barn. It happened too early to be during the swim procession, and if it had happened during a demonstration, somebody would have posted footage. The reporter did reveal that it was a female elephant, who was back on exhibit today. With 3 brand new elephant calves and another five up to 5 years of age, there could be a lot of "Momma Bear" hormones flying around. I wonder if this is a scenario in which he was hurt.
Another article with more details listed by Ambika. Elephant that attacked trainer still with herd at African Lion Safari Frustratingly enough, animal rights activists (or at least one) are already saying this was proof these elephants belong in the wild and they are exploiting them for entertainment. Animal advocates denounce keeping elephants in captivity after trainer attacked
Why do they write in the article that they have 16 elephants when there are 17? Maybe they don't count the younger Sunita.
YiQi's article says the Ministry's investigator made one requirement, and that was probably closing the ride. I really doubt it happened there, or someone would have posted footage online. My guess is up at the matriarchal yard where there are a lot of elephants and what my daughter called "Mama Bear hormones.". There is often no one up there watching. I addressed the issue of 16 in the Asian Population thread. There was enough publicity that I feel sure Sunita is included. I'm worried that a calf was lost to EEHV.
It seems the attack did take place in the ride area according to one account. Family describes elephant attack at African Lion Safari In another update, the park has confirmed the elephant is still with the herd. African Lion Safari Also, this animal rights activist is also pouncing on the whole situation. Elephant rides at African Lion Safari ‘disturb’ animal welfare advocates I'm particularly hate-amused/angered by how this activist whines about how "elephants in the wild have social structures and very complex societies of communication with family relationships", as though ALS doesn't let them socialise.
Maybe one of the two old elephants (Jenny or Maggie) died. Kitty's death was also discovered in two years.
I don't think they generally announce bad news. Kitty's death was never announced, nor was Logan's, more than a decade ago now, the only EEHV death they've had there to date. We've learned of transfers, like Albert and Samson to ABQ and Jake and Chuck to Denver, but primarily from announcements by the new destinations, not ALS. As a private company, ALS isn't required to have the same transparency that a not-for-profit or government institution must provide.
It's hard to say that any elephant is expendable, but if one on this list has died or was transferred, the two that would least affect future reproduction at the park and maintaining genetic diversity in the NA population would be George or Johnson. George is chemically castrated and isn't reproducing but is a terrific ambassador animal who does safe demonstrations and is safe enough to get up close and personal with. Johnson is extremely well represented in the NA genepool, with 7 offspring at ALS and full brother Samson in Oregon who's already sired a calf at ABQ. Perhaps the best outcome of all here with this "one is missing" mystery, would be that Johnson has been transferred to Europe in exchange for an unrelated male ALS will need to breed to those 6 Johnson daughters and one half-sister..
Certainly no elephant had left, they would have announced a new zoo. And certainly not to Europe, I would know. Probably someone really died ...
I'm praying it's not one of the 8 calves under 5. They'd be the most susceptible to EEHV or other infections. This sounds crazy--it's not as if we want any elephant to have died. Yet all the news reports clearly said 16, so that must have been the official word given from ALS.....
Apparently another animal rights group is listing the park as one of the cruelest places in the world. Two Ontario Zoos Just Got Ranked Among The Most "Cruel And Outdated" In The World
In the link above, there is also an article about Marineland and continuing efforts by a former keeper to free Smooshie the walrus. Nothing really new, but it does make one wonder how ALS could be on this list and NOT Marineland.
If animal rights activists want to rescue animals, they should take weapons and go into the wild to fight poachers. Zoos have already saved quite a lot of species from extinction (for example Przewalski's Horse or Northern White Rhinoceros - if it were not for Dvur Kralove Zoo, it is already extinct). The only work that activists do not take for the wrong is the fight against circuses. They have animals for profit and sometimes behave quite cruelly.
