Elephant Dies In Auto Accident

An unfortunate bus driver found an unfortunate pachyderm on a highway in Mexico. Neither the bus driver or the elephant were wearing seat belts.

Bus drivers are not required to wear seat belts in Mexico and in this case it might have not made a difference anyway. Indra, an elephant from the Circo Union weighed in at five tons and was an escapee from the Circus. The elephant had broken loose from the circus and had wandered through two neighborhoods before entering a highway near the city of Ecatepec. Indra was struck by a bus on the highway, The bus driver Tomas Lopez was fatally injured as was Indra. Four passengers were also injured and treated at hospital. Several small circuses use the name Circo Union and the specific circus was not immediately known. Elephants have a possible life span of 70 years in the wild, but typically only live half that long in captivity. The rate of reproduction in captivity is negligible also. While it's fun and even educational to have elephants in circuses and zoos, it should be kept in mind how intelligent these animals are, and the apparent need for intra-species interaction. One truly remarkable answer to the problem of elephant welfare has been PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) situated in the foothills near in San Andreas, California. Having driven past the place which includes 2,300 acres of acreage very similar to an African Savannah. I can verify, it is an odd sight to be driving through California and to look up and see an elephant ambling across a hillside.The elephants are allowed to roam on much of the acreage while interacting in a normal fashion. This DJ'er is no tree hugger, but does believe in being a good steward of what we are entrusted with. These animals deserve better than they often get.