An elephant broke free from its captivity in a travelling circus on April 16 and roamed the streets of the US city of Montana until it was safely recovered. The massive animal, named Viola, was scheduled to perform at the Jordan World Circus but escaped before her show. Surveillance video from the Town Pump gas station showed an elephant strolling the streets while being followed by an individual.
According to NBC Montana, Viola fled a travelling circus after being startled by the noise of a vehicle. At the time, Viola was taking a bath, according to the outlet. Images from Butte show the mammal wandering down Harrison Avenue, dwarfing cars.
The elephant was “spooked by a vehicle and escaped briefly," according to an email from Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department Sheriff Ed Lester sent to NBC Montana.
The news agency also stated that the elephant was apprehended by handlers in around twenty minutes. There were no reported casualties or damages. The show started at the scheduled time.
Two shows for the circus were slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time, a city official confirmed to CBS News.
According to J.P. Gallagher, the county executive, “One of the circus elephants managed to escape from its trainer and wandered onto Harrison Ave, a bustling street in town."
In separate statements, animal protection organisations PETA and PAWS claimed that Viola had previously escaped from a circus. According to PETA, the circus that provided the elephants for the Jordan World Circus, Carson & Barnes, has a track record of subjecting elephants to taxing workouts and has been fined for over a hundred infractions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. According to the organisation, the elephant was “elderly."
Mataya Smith, a resident of Butte, was driving when her spouse called her attention to the elephant on the road. Smith told NBC Montana that the situation was handled flawlessly by the community.
They have a lot of experience with bison, she added, so they should keep a safe distance away from them and avoid getting too near or too involved. Since they all kept their distance, it was safer for her to run wild here.
“Everybody slowed down, backed up when she was coming towards them."
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