Handling of Elephants in Captivity

I’m not sure your readers fully understand the hazards of working with elephants. As a former 10-year employee of the Erie, Pa., zoo, I can share this knowledge: Elephants have killed more people than any other zoo or circus animal. The elephant is an extremely strong, powerful and dangerous animal who can crush a man against a wall with about as much effort as a human can flatten a fly.

If an elephant doesn’t respect its handler, the handler is the one who will be beaten and into a more critical state than a light bruising. At our own zoo, a female elephant smashed the pelvis of a handler who simply was too nice for the elephant to respect as her boss.

Your readers might consider this information before they pass judgment too quickly on this incident.

NANCY KEELER

Erie, Pa.