Escaped Circus Elephant Stomps Through Traffic in Montana

By: Stephanie Bontorin | Published: Apr 17, 2024

A regular day of traffic in Butte, Montana had a surprise visitor on Tuesday.

A video taken by onlookers shows a massive grey elephant running through the streets of Butte while a man, presumably the elephant’s handler, runs alongside the massive animal.

Spectacle Takes Onlookers by Surprise

The incident had many people overheard in the video laughing and gawking at the elephant. Someone is heard on the video exclaiming, “only in Butte. A circus elephant got loose.”

A gray elephant walks through a parking lot with a man wearing a black t shirt walking behind

Source: @parkerii/X

The scene was a strange site for a busy intersection in Montana. The extra large animal is seen cutting through traffic in front of a Casino this Tuesday.

One Circus Was Missing an Elephant

Reports from local media publications showed that the elephant in question escaped in front the Jordan World Circus.

A large elephant is being fed grass by a handler. Behind them yellow and red trailers are seen.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The traveling production company had a show at the Butte Civic Center on Tuesday. The elderly female elephant temporarily escaped from her pen when a nearby vehicle backfired and startled the animal.

A Short Burst of Mayhem in Butte

After using a residential lawn as a toilet, the elephant was captured by their handlers and returned to the circus grounds.

A downtown street with large red buildings and sparse cars parked on the road

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Onlookers told the press that the event was not actually all that dramatic as the size of the animal caused drivers to quickly pull over and evade widespread chaos.

Small Amount of Freedom for the Elephant

One commenter on FaceBook added that this was “probably the most freedom that the elephant had in [her] life”.

A large elephant stands next to the exterior of a white circus tent

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The viral social media post sparked a number of positive and negative comments about the life, and escape, of a circus elephant.

Legality of Using Animals in Circus Shows

In 2017, Illinois and New York banned the use of elephants in traveling circus exhibitions. Many states followed suit after the landmark ruling.

A woman rides an elephant wearing an orange blanket and carrying an American flag through the inside of a circus tent

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Although not completely illegal in the U.S., many famous shows, such as the Ringling Bros. completely discontinued their use of live tigers and elephants in their shows to support the ethical treatment of exotic animals.

Jordan World Circus Tour Was Already Under Public Scrutiny

The current tour that the Jordan World Circus has been embarked on has already had multiple cities creating petitions to ban the use of elephants and wild animals during shows.

A large white and red striped tent at a circus ground surrounded by other small tents and trailers

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Multiple groups advocating for animal welfare have criticized the group for abusing their animals. The USDA confirmed that the Jordan World Circus has been under investigation for failing to acquire the proper permits and for not getting the animals proper veterinary care.

Circus Elephants Spend Most of Their Day in a Cage

As the comments about the elephant’s desire for freedom began to circulate online, it sparked an important discussion of animals who live their lives in cages for human entertainment.

A former circus elephant with three legs stands in a grassy sanctuary

Source: Wikipedia Commons

A report by the World Animal Protection group in the U.S. notes that circus animals spend 96% of their life in a cage. As well, they’re subjected to extreme heat and weather conditions while on the road for 11 months out of the year. The elephants often never see a real habitat in their lives.

Elephants Can Be Deadly for Handlers

In 2000, a circus was under investigation for causing the death of an elephant handler due to a similar escape.

An elephant plays with a hanging number placard while its handler stands next to them. In the background a man lays on top of a different elephant.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Elephants can weigh up to 10 thousand pounds and can cause serious injury and even death when not cared for properly.

Calls for the Circus to Close the Practice

A petition created in February of this year has called on the circus to retire their animals for good. The creators cite improper habitats and poor veterinary care from overworking the elephants.

Three large elephants eat grass inside of a grassy and natural enclosure.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The petition currently has over one thousand signatures with a goal of 1,500.

Public Urged Not to Purchase Tickets to the Show

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has cited that when circus acts cannot afford to keep their shows going, they can be convinced to give up the elephants to sanctuaries.

A black, white, and blue PETA sign held by someone sitting on the ground

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Not giving money to the people responsible for the elephants is the best way to show that the current practices need to change.

Circus Now Under Intense Speculation

Due to the escape of the elderly female elephant, PETA has resurfaced more than 100 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act that the circus has been accused of.

A sign advertising monkey and elephant walking tours through a sanctuary

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The elephant has also escaped two other times, once in 2010 and 2014. The lifelong servitude of the animal has not come without its downsides and animal protection agencies hope that they can get the elephant into a sanctuary soon.