Posted on 04/17/2024 7:28:04 AM PDT by Twotone
BUTTE, Mont. — Montana is known for plenty of large wildlife, like bears, mountain goats and elk. But elephants are a new one.
Butte resident Mataya Smith was driving south on Harrison Avenue with her husband, who alerted her to the strange scene at noon on Tuesday.
“I though he just meant it was in the parking lot. And then I looked up and was like, ‘No, there is an elephant in the road!’” said Smith.
“My coworker pointed out, ‘There’s an elephant!’ Started jumping up and down, pointing out the window,” Civic Center Town Pump co-manager Josh Hannifin said.
“We ran out the door and finally caught a video of the elephant coming through the lot here. Pretty exciting. It’s not everyday you see an elephant walking down Harrison Avenue in Butte, Montana,” added Hannifan, who was about to wrap hot dog buns before noticing the elephant.
As it turns out, the Jordan World Circus is in town. Gas station surveillance video shows what happened when Viola the Asian elephant escaped from her pen outside the Civic Center after being scared when a truck backfired near where she was getting a bath.
“Went for a nice slow walk down Harrison. But man, they move fast when they just walk,” said Hannifin.
“Kind of making her way over to the casino trying to play some slots. Having a fun time, making the best of her Butte experience,” said Smith.
Thankfully, no one was injured, and the handlers were able to corral Viola without the need for law enforcement intervention after no more than 20 minutes.
Smith says the community handled it perfectly.
“We have plenty of experience with bison, not to get too close and not to interact too much and to stay within a safe distance. So I think it was probably safer for her to get loose here because we all kept our distance. Everybody slowed down, backed up when she was coming towards them,” said Smith, who says the handlers did an excellent job preventing danger.
“They did everything that they could to just kind of guide her. They didn’t push her, they didn’t force her, they just nicely asked her to move with them and said ‘Hey, please don’t break this fence.’ They waited very patiently with her and just kind of petted her and gave her comfort and calmed her until the truck came by,” said Smith.
And for those who caught a glimpse, they say the entire experience was remarkable and a moment they’ll never forget, especially when Viola was reunited with her mate.
“He kind of was using his trunk to say, ‘Come on come on, you’re being crazy, you’re scaring the townsfolk.’ She got in there and they started trumpeting at each other. It was very adorable,” said Smith.
With Viola back safe and sound with her handlers, the show went on Tuesday night, but for a lucky few, they got a memory of a lifetime.
Republican omen?
Thanks. I don’t know how to post pictures.
Headed for an afternoon of fun at the casino, it looks like.
It’s well known that Asian elephants are more calm in temperament. It’s the African elephants that are more prone to violence and unpredictability.
Far enough away from Yellowstone that no one ran up to get a photo with it
I have long advocated drinking gin & tonic ….the tonic for malaria and the gin to prevent elephant bites. While I have so far avoided both malaria and being bitten by an elephant, this incident shows you can’t be too careful.
🧐🤨
I was in Bangkok about 30 years ago for a conference when the traffic was stopped for an elephant walking down the street along with dancing girls and acrobats.
It was a live, moving commercial for Chang’s Beer. The truck at the end of the commercial was giving away free cans.
“One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don’t know.”?
Groucho Marx
Just like horses, many elephants are easily startled by a sudden loud noise they’re not used to hearing.
Thank goodness nobody was impulsive enough to shoot her.
Being kind and patient goes a long way with most animals who happen to be lost.
It’s literally true. Don’t blame me!
Oops. Wrong way in left turn lane.
Butte, Montana
That's a long way from Worthington Ford.
“Thank goodness nobody was impulsive enough to shoot her.”
We don’t do that kind of stuff here in Montana, besides elephants are currently NOT in season.
Can you imagine waking up from all the noise after passing out on a bench after a night out, and seeing that walking down the road?
Instant vow to quit drinking lol
Went bare hunting once but it was too cold
Yeah but some drunk hunter coulda shot it and said “I thought it was a duck”
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