An elephant that escaped from a traveling circus wandered through the streets of Butte, Montana, on Tuesday, drawing attention after several videos of the episode spread widely on social media. The animal, named Viola, was seen weaving through traffic and walking across parking lots before she was recaptured.
Kristin Parra, a spokesperson for the Carson & Barnes Circus, said Viola was getting her routine bath when a truck backfired and startled her, prompting her to run off. According to reports, she crossed a busy street, went behind a casino and began eating grass before being brought back.
Jordan World Circus head elephant handler Armando Loyal told Montana Public Radio that Viola was being washed in a parking lot at the Butte Civic Center when the noise occurred. He said handlers caught her and put her back into a circus truck within 10 minutes of her escape. Viola was reportedly in town to perform with the Jordan World Circus, which had a show scheduled in Butte on Tuesday, according to its website.
Sheriff Ed Lester of Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement confirmed in an email to NPR that neither the elephant nor any people nearby were hurt. "The elephant was walking in the street for a block or two but was then loaded into a trailer by circus staff," he said. He added that he was glad it ended well and that, as far as he knew, the show went on as scheduled. A local official told CBS News that the elephant caused minor damage to a storage area at the Butte Civic Center.
Parra said the circus was "upset" that Viola had been frightened but "grateful that she remained calm and no injuries were sustained to her or any other bystanders."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said in a statement that Viola had escaped at least twice before, once in 2010 and again in 2014. The group said it filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture over what it called a "potentially fatal" incident. It urged the agency to investigate the Carson & Barnes Circus and asked that Viola be examined for any injuries she may have sustained.
Butte resident Mataya Smith told NBC Montana that people nearby handled the situation well. She said locals are used to keeping a safe distance from bison, and that experience helped. "I think it was probably safer for her to get loose here because we all kept our distance," Smith said. "Everybody slowed down, backed up when she was coming towards them."
Smith added that the elephant's handler tried to guide the animal gently back toward the circus. "They waited very patiently with her and just kind of petted her and gave her comfort and calmed her until the truck came by," she said.
