African Lion Safari ended elephant rides after 2019 attack. So why are they still allowed in Canada?

Maggie stood nearlythree metres tall and weighedmore than 3,900 kilograms.

Born in Burma, the Asian elephant was riddenfor 25 years by visitors to African Lion Safari, azoo and theme parkin Flamborough, Ont.,in rural Hamilton.

But on June 21, 2019,Maggie lunged at her handler as the last rider wasdismounting.

Now, CBC News has obtained an Ontario Ministry of Labour report that shedslight onwhat exactly happened during the last-ever elephant ride at African Lion Safari.

Activists and zooaccreditation bodies believe African Lion Safariwas the only site in Canada offering elephant rides. Theministry investigation raises questions aboutwhy suchrides are still permitted by Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), even though they'vebeen banned for a decade by theleading U.S. zoo accreditation association.

According to the 117-page report, which is heavily redacted in sections, Maggie "became aggressive and began attack... by usingher trunk [to] repetitively hit, spin and push the handler against the wooden railings of the platform stairway behind him."

A ministryinspector found that as the handler fell to the ground,Maggie pushed him into acorner. He crawled under the massive animal, clambering to safety. But he was left seriously injured, with his head bleeding.

CAZA,a private charitable organization that accredits and represents zoological parks and aquariums,is reviewingits policyon elephant rides, according to its executive director.

African Lion Safari refused CBC's request for an interview, butsaid in a statement the zoo permanently stopped elephant rides in 2019.

"African Lion Safari has always been and remains in full compliance of all CAZA standards that govern our park," African Lion Safari stated. "The health and safety of all visitors, staff and animals is our top priority."

Ending elephant rides waswelcomed by World Animal Protection, which had been calling for their halt. But Canadian campaign director Melissa Matlow wonders why it took a "tragedy" to make the change.

"Had a decision been made to end elephant rides and shows long before, this [2019] incident could have been prevented."

Regulations a provincial patchwork

Animal welfare rules varyacrossCanada, witha patchwork of provincial regulations.

The Ministry of the Solicitor General inspects most zoos and aquariums in Ontario, but saysAfrican Lion Safari falls under the Animals for Research Act (ARA), which is overseenby the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Under the act, inspectors ensureanimal care, welfare and handling standards aremet, but "the ARA does not prescribe or regulate the kinds of interactions people can have with animals,"spokesperson Christa Roettelesaid in an email.

Instead, zoos turn to CAZA for those standards, which havelong allowed elephant rides.African Lion Safari was a founding memberanddisplays the CAZAlogo on its website.

The charityrepresents 28 facilities across Canada, and the CanadianFood Inspection Agency, which is involved when animals are transported to the country,recognizes its policies, according toCAZA executive director JimFacette.

CAZA's standards are also recognized by British Columbia and Saskatchewan, but not Ontario, he said.

Despite the ministry's findings, Facettedisagreed with its characterization of the incident.

"My understanding is that it was an accident, that it was not an attack."

CAZA'spolicy for using animals in educational programmingsaysmembers should strive to treat animals with dignity and in a way that shows their "natural intellect ... and physical attributes, while operating in a way that's safe for the animal, visitors and handlers."

But it also lists animal rides as"appropriate educational programming."

U.S.group says elephant rides dangerous

CAZA's American counterpart, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), hasn't allowed any of its 241accredited facilities to offer elephant rides since 2011.

Six of those sites are in Canada, including theCalgary Zoo, Toronto Zoo and Vancouver Aquarium.

"It was dangerous," said AZA CEO Dan Ashe of the rides. "We had significant record of injury, and in some cases death, associated with elephants, and so the principal concern was with the safety of elephant care professionals."

Instead, the AZAcalls for protected contact there must be a barrier between guests and elephants at all times. Even trained handlers can only be in the same space as an elephant in specific circumstances.

"Elephant rides and things like that are an artifact of the past," said Ashe.

WATCH | The AZA explain why it banned elephant rides among its members:

Why AZA calls elephant rides an 'artifact of the past'

3 years ago

Duration 1:14

Dan Ashe, CEO of U.S.-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums, speaks about why his group banned elephant rides in 2011.

Zoos should not be "presenting [animals] as some kind of entertainment that should be performing for us,"added Ashe.

Asked why CAZA continues to permit elephant rides, Facettesaid that when AZA made itsdecision a decade ago, "circumstances at the time were probably different here in Canada."

African Lion Safari has a "high degree of expertise" around elephants, he said.

"There was a period of time where it was feltwhat's being done is fine, there is not a lot of incidents, not a lot of facilities that have these kinds of situations," said Facette. "Then an accident did happen and we recognize that."

Handler crushed, died in 1989

Maggie is not the first elephant involved in an attack at African Lion Safari.

A handler named Omer (also referred to as Omar)Nortonwas crushed and diedin November 1989whenTusko, an 18-year-old bull elephant, used hishead to pin the man to the ground. At the time, media reports said Nortonwas trying to break up a fight between two elephants.

Tusko had a history of aggression toward animals, but not people, then co-owner Don Dailley told reporters.

"It's been known to happen," he was quoted as saying in a Nov.14, 1989, newspaper report. "Elephants have also been known to swing their trunks and to gore people. They are potentially very dangerous animals."

Maggie is described in the ministryinvestigation as "old" andin her early 50s. She wastransferred to African Lion Safari from Florida in May 1990.

A medical profilein the report calls her"overall physically healthy" for her age. An assessment after the incident appeared "completely normal."

Therides were an opportunity for guests to "get up close" with elephants, the ministry inspector said.

Five days a week,the elephant, carrying a visitor,would plod around afenced-intrack with a handler walking alongside.

Beneath the platform used to board the elephant wasashack storingsaddles and tools. Next to the stairs was a nookwhere staff could feed elephants hay to keep them still.

That nook is where the handler became trapped when the incident involving Maggie occurred.

The report says the elephant lungedatthe handler when his back was turned. The animal pivotednearly 90 degrees, blocked himinand beathim with her trunk.

"Maggie reportedly also used her head, butting him in the chest and pushing his head into her mouth," it reads.

Photos taken by the inspector show at least two pieces of awooden railingsnapped in half during the attack. A spray of dried blood can be seen in another picture.

According to the investigation, a visitorreportedly still had one foot on Maggie's back when she became aggressive.

Roughly 30 people were waiting in lineand ran for safety, it says.

Two other animal handlers heard "wood snapping [and] a mixture of people screaming" before seeing Maggie's handlerbleeding, the inspector stated.The park's superintendent of elephants wasable to get her under control, it adds.

A spokesperson for air ambulance service OrngetoldCBCin 2019that a helicopter transported a man in his 30s to Hamilton General Hospital with serious injuries.

In a Facebook post shared after the attack, African Lion Safaridescribed the employee's injuries asnon-life-threatening and said Maggie was still part of its herd.

Contacted recently by CBC, African Lion Safari said it could not share any updated information about the handler's condition, citing privacy reasons.

The zoo also did not respond to questions about Maggie and whether she's still living there.

Along with examining the elephant's health, the layout of the track and the weather,the ministry looked into two other factors that could have led to the 2019 incident:

• A mysterious conditioncalled musth (a state of "drunkenness, hilarity, ecstasy, desire or lust," the report says, noting it's a condition unique tomale elephants).
• Revenge for mistreatment.

But the veterinarian who cared for the elephants at African Lion Safari saidGeorge, the other elephantused for rides, had nevershown signs of coming into "musth," states the report.

The inspector also discussed whether there was a connection between the attack and the way the elephant was trained, as well asthe animal-handler relationship.

Much of that section of the report deals withcontroversial tools called guides orbullhooks metal poles with a tapered hook at the end.

The zoo confirmed its handlerssometimes useguides to cue an elephant on the direction it should move, but they're used "without exerting force," general manager Trish Gerthsaid.

The park said a guide wasn'tused prior to or during the incident involving Maggie.

The park's veterinarian toldthe ministryhe had not seen "any signs ... of aggression" from handlers to elephants.The inspector addedhe was toldtraining with Maggie was done with as "little negativity as possible."

Two years ago, the AZA adopted a policybarringbullhooks fromroutine training."It has a brutal history," said Ashe.

They're instead used for emergencies only.

CAZA reviewing ride policy

Based on the investigation, no prosecution was recommend following the 2019 attackbecause of a "lack of obvious contraventions ... directly leading to the incident."

The inspector saidways to better protect handlers during rides were assessed, but "limited viable solutions [were] identified."

The report says African Lion Safari voluntarily suspended elephant rides right after the incident.

African Lion Safari prides itself on its conservation and breeding program.Gerthsaid the zoo'smission is to provide the "highest standard of care" for its Asian elephants.

"Our hope is to inspire our visitors to protect and preserve biodiversity and endangered species," she wrote.

Facette said the zoo provided CAZA with a review of the attack,including changes to prevent similar incidents.

CAZA also completedits own investigation, but Facette said hecouldn't share either document, pointing to legal and privacy issues.

The Canadian organization is part of the World Association ofZoos and Aquariums(WAZA), which updated itsguidelines for animal-visitor interactions last year, calling for members not to participate in"experiences where animals perform in a manner that does not constitute normal and natural wild-state behaviour."

"Do not present animals in a way that the visitors could perceive them as exotic pets or 'performers,'"the recommendations read.

Facette said CAZAisreviewingWAZA's changesand its own standards.Its accreditation commission is expected to report back in November.

"I do think in the very near future the board will likely approve a policy that will sayelephant rides in Canada do not meet our standard," he said.

Asked whether the currentstandards failed the handlerhurt at African Lion Safari, Facettesaid he believes they did not.

"I don't think it's fair to say ...that the standards of the time failed anyone."