Benjamin
Four-year-old Benjamin drowned when he stepped into a pond at a truck stop while the circus was traveling through Texas on July 26, 1999. According to the USDA’s investigation of the incident, “[Ringling trainer Patrick Harned] attempted to get Benjamin out of the water using repeated voice commands. The animal would not respond to Mr. Harned. Mr. Harned entered the water to attempt to get the elephant to exit the pond. Witnesses state the animal attempted to avoid Mr. Harned by moving to a deeper area of the pond.”

The investigation goes on to report, “Two eye witnesses to the incident ... both state ... that the elephant would move the other direction in an attempt to avoid trainer Pat Harned when he ‘poked’ the elephant with a stick. ... Trainer Pat Harned placed this elephant at risk in an unfamiliar environment where the water depth was 10 to 12 feet. Mr. Harned was unfamiliar with this body of water. The elephant seeing, and/or being ‘touched’ or ‘poked’ by Mr. Harned with an ankus [bullhook] created behavioral stress and trauma which precipitated in the physical harm and ultimate death of the animal.”

Elephants are normally excellent swimmers and love to play in ponds, but Benjamin was at a disadvantage, since he had been removed from his mother before she could teach him to swim. Click here to see video of Benjamin’s last moments of life—and death.

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