Circus elephant breaks loose in Cork

Published Thursday, 29 March 2012

A circus elephant has escaped its handlers and gone on the run in Co Cork.

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The 2.5-ton animal, whose name is Baby, broke loose in a car park in Blackpool close to a busy supermarket on Wednesday afternoon.

The astonishing incident was captured by CCTV cameras and camera phones at the busy retail park.

Eyewitness footage shows keepers from Courtney's Circus trying to bring the Indian elephant under control, as stunned shoppers look on.

But the elephant dashes for the exit and manages to get free before stampeding off towards town.
It is understood Baby was later cornered and captured.

No damage was caused and no-one was hurt.

The 40-year-old elephant is believed to have escaped because she didn't want to have a shower.

An eyewitness said: "The elephant wasn't happy. You could see the guys from the circus who probably look after her running around."

"It was really intense."

Comments

8 Comments

john in China wrote (446 days ago):

Nellie the Elephant packed her trunk And said goodbye to the circus Off she went with a trumpety-trump Trump, trump, trump

Vee in Belfast wrote (446 days ago):

Reminds me of an April Fool Joke we played at school on our Maths teacher - not a person who suffered fools gladly but a very decent woman underneath - and unfortunately long since gone to her reward (RIP). A group of us (the usual late-comers) would come in late and keep interrupting her lesson. She became more and more frustrated but it was only when the last person told her she was 'held up by an elephant' that she realised what date it was and - fortunately for us - saw the funny side. Then it was on to the Maths lesson and hard work. I wonder what she would say to this news item?

Sam Brannigan in Belfast wrote (447 days ago):

It is about time there was a complete ban on animals in the circus arena.This is an "Indian" elephant,so it should be in India!!!!Not carted around Ireland to be on show for the public.Elephants are intelligent animals and should be treated with respect.No doubt if this incident would have happened in some cities in the world the elephant would have been shot.

Susan in Portadown wrote (447 days ago):

Terrible to see the news reader taking such amusement tonight following the clip of a defenceless animal completely out of its natural enviroment. Elephant's should be in Africa not Cork. Shameful.

Ieult in NI wrote (447 days ago):

There should be no animals in circuses. People should boycott any circus that uses animals - it is cruel to make them live such an unnatural life. Anyone who enjoys watching animals 'perform' is equally guilty in this type of animal abuse, IMO.

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