"Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked and here came a pale green horse! The name of the one who rode it was Death, and Hades followed right behind. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, famine, and disease,
and by the wild animals of the earth."
-- Rev. 6:7-8
Maybe this elephant incident should be considered a shot across the bow.