"There's no sense in CAZA getting involved in specific, small incidents that the provincial regulator is comfortable with." The park and ministry have dealt with the incident, he explained when questioned about why he hadn't seen it. counterpart, he said "Canadian standards are for Canadian facilities."įacette also said he couldn't comment on whether or not CAZA's standards had failed the worker at African Lion Safari who was seriously hurt because he had not read the Ontario Ministry of Labour's report about the attack, which has been available since last year. He added CBC's questions as part of its investigation provided "an opportunity" to listen to concerns.Īsked why it took so long for CAZA to align its policies with that of its U.S. The CEO said he could not explain why the change in standards happened now, stressing he's focused on what its policies will look like going forward. Jim Facette, CEO of CAZA, says it is still evaluating the rest of its standards around interactions between people and elephants, especially when it comes to 'entertainment.' (Supplied by Jim Facette) "It was dangerous," AZA president Dan Ashe told CBC. "We had significant record of injury, and in some cases death, associated with elephants."įacette said CAZA is still evaluating the rest of its standards around interactions between people and elephants, especially when it comes to "entertainment." Animal welfare is the first priority, as is the safety of people working with them, he said. Even trained handlers can only be in the same space as an elephant in specific circumstances. Instead, its policies call for protected contact, meaning a barrier must exist between guests and elephants at all times. The AZA hasn't allowed elephant rides at any of its 241-accredited facilities since 2011. In a statement sent Monday in response to questions about CAZA's change in standards, African Lion Safari said it was a founding member of CAZA and, as such, "fully support and remain in full compliance of the standards that govern our park." 'Disappointing' change took so longīut Matlow said those standards are the problem, adding it's "disappointing" it took CAZA, which has accredited 28 facilities across Canada, so long to change them. "Maggie reportedly also used her head, butting him in the chest and pushing his head into her mouth," it reads.Īir ambulance service Ornge told CBC in 2019 it transported a man in his 30s to Hamilton General Hospital with serious injuries following the attack.Īfrican Lion Safari described the employee's injuries as non-life-threatening in a Facebook post shared that same day, The report found the elephant lunged when the handler's back was turned, blocking him into a corner and beating him with her trunk. (CBC News Graphics)Īccording to the investigation, one rider was reportedly still dismounting from Maggie when she became aggressive. This reconstruction of the attack at African Lion Safari on June 21, 2019, is based on a diagram included in the Ontario Ministry of Labour investigative report into the incident, showing how Maggie trapped her handler against the riding platform. It described how Maggie, an Asian elephant that was ridden by visitors to the park for 25 years, turned on one of her handlers on June 21, 2019. Report describes elephant attacking trainerĬBC obtained a copy of an Ontario Ministry of Labour report about the incident through a freedom of information request. The zoo and theme park in Flamborough, Ont., permanently stopped the rides that same year. It serves no benefit."Īctivists and zoo accreditation bodies said they believe African Lion Safari was the only site in Canada offering elephant rides when the attack happened there in 2019. "It's dangerous and it's not educational. "It's a very strong statement if the national zoo accreditation body opposes elephant rides."īut, Matlow added, the move was also a "long time coming" and it should not have taken "a person getting seriously harmed" for change to happen. Trainer seriously injured after elephant attack at Ontario's African Lion SafariĬAZA's decision is welcome news, said Melissa Matlow, Canadian campaign director for World Animal Protection, which had pushed for elephant rides to be prohibited.CBC Investigates African Lion Safari ended elephant rides after 2019 attack.
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