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MILWAUKEE, Wi. (WFLA) — An elephant took a tumble at the Milwaukee County Zoo on Friday resulting in her having to be pushed to her feet with a front loader.
A release said that around 11 a.m., an elephant named Ruth lost her footing on a log in the zoo’s outdoor habitat due to aggressive behavior from a herdmate, causing her to fall on her side.
Ruth attempted to get up on her own but struggled to do so as a result of her age.
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), female African savanna elephants in human care have a median life expectancy of 39.4 years old. At 40 years old Ruth is considered geriatric.
After Ruth was unable to rise, the zoo begain implementing its protocal to lift a fallen animal which included alerting the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Heavy Urban Rescue Team (HURT) along with Dawes Rigging and Crane.
A front-loaded vehicle operated by one of the Zoo’s vehicle machine operators was carefully guided by the elephant care coordinator to leverage Ruth back onto her feet.
Video shows the elephant then walking back towards the indoor habitat after regaining her footing.
The Zoo’s animal care team and the HURT team regularly train through drills to prepare for such instances as this.
Ruth was examined by the Zoo’s veterinary team who will continue to monitor her closely.