Elephant escapes circus in Samara, video emerges
After wandering the city streets, the animal was escorted back to the circus without incident.
Details have emerged about the «unauthorized leave» that an elephant took in the center of Samara. The animal was spotted on the streets of the regional capital near the circus.
Trainers provided food and water to the elephant after its recapture from the escape.
According to eyewitnesses, the exotic guest calmly headed towards the «Shanghai» square on Molodogvardeyskaya Street. Samara residents expressed concern about potential problems for the elephant due to the cold in the city.
Dmitry Ivanov captured images of the elephant during the unusual city incident.
The animal was caught fairly quickly. Trainers persuaded the giant to return to the circus and accompanied it on the way. Drivers yielded to the unusual pedestrian. However, the elephant itself did not violate traffic rules: it crossed the road at a green light.
The elephant calmly strolled through the urban area before being intercepted by handlers.
Video and photos from Samara quickly spread not only to local but also to federal public channels.
Trainers accompanied the elephant as it was led back through the city streets.
Samara residents suggested that the «trip to the city» was an unusual promotion. It is precisely in these days that a new program is set to begin at the Oleg Popov Circus.
The escaped elephant was returned to its circus enclosure safely after the walk.
However, there is a suggestion that the elephant«s walk through the streets of Samara was unplanned. This opinion was voiced by an employee of the Search and Rescue Service, Dmitry Ivanov.
«Today was a very unusual call, I thought I»d seen everything, but no, an elephant escaped from the circus, frightened by firecracker explosions during a controlled walk, but everything ended well, the elephant was successfully returned under the control of trainers to the circus, everyone is happy,« the man told.
As a memento of such an unusual incident, Dmitry Ivanov took several photos. Moreover, not with one, but immediately with two giants.
Open internet sources say that cold poses a serious danger to elephants, as they are tropical animals not adapted to low temperatures. It is dangerous to take elephants outside already at temperatures below +15 degrees Celsius (59°F). Hypothermia can lead to illnesses, as their bodies are designed for efficient heat dissipation in the heat, not for heat retention.
Elephants are frequent participants in circus shows, not only in Samara. And sometimes they stage escapes. For example, exactly 5 years ago in Yekaterinburg, animals also went on «unauthorized leave». The giants even managed to enjoy the snowdrifts. The fugitives were returned to the circus with the help of traffic police officers. Moreover, trainers assure that the animals were not frightened and perceived the situation as a game.
